Anything You Want - Recap

It's a sunny Saturday morning, and the Reverend Eric Camden and his wife, Annie, would love to sleep in, but it's not easy to catch a moment alone in a house shared by seven people! One by one, the kids-Ruthie, Simon, Lucy, and Mary-barge into their parents' bedroom, needing something. Matt tries to save the day, but it's hopeless. At the dinner table Simon's in a rush to say grace, with his own special P.S.: "If there really is a God, I know you will find a way to get me that dog I've been wanting". Meanwhile, fourteen-year-old Mary begs Matt to help her with her basketball, but he says he has other plans. Which reminds Annie...Matt is supposed to shoot pool with his father that night. But Matt retorts that he has a date.

Trying to include his middle child in the conversation, Eric compliments Lucy on how grown-up she's looking, Lucy bolts from the table, crying, "I'm not a baby anymore!" The rest of the family is totally baffled. Outside, Mary tells Matt that she's taller than all the guys her age, and then admits that she's never been kissed. She asks Matt to show her how to kiss, but he finds the demonstrations too awkward. Later, while Simon talks to his mom about getting a dog, Eric goes up to check on Lucy and finds her standing on her head-hoping it will help bring on her first menstrual period. Eric tries to talk to her about "coming of age," but she's too embarrassed and locks herself in the bathroom. So Eric and Annie switch talks: Eric reminds Simon about his history of pet disasters. But Simon promises he'll be more responsible this time. Eric finally agrees...sort of. If a dog with no owner wanders into the yard, Simon can keep it. Upstairs Annie finds Lucy hiding in her bed room closet. She says all her friends have started their periods, and she feels like a freak. Annie gently reminds her, "For everything there is a season..." That night at the pool hall, Eric lectures Matt about his smoking and tells him to fork over that part of his allowance that he spends on cigarettes. Matt protests. So Eric suggests he pay for his habit by taking a job driving an elderly woman on her errands. At church the next morning Eric coincidentally begins his sermon with: "For everything there is a season..." Lucy panics-she thinks her dad is about to discuss her period in his sermon! As she runs out of the church, a startled Eric jokes that he guesses his family has heard this sermon before. That afternoon Mary takes Lucy jogging. When they run into Matt's best friend, Jeff, Lucy drops a tampon Mary gave her; mortified, Lucy runs away. Mary simply scoops it up, then asks Jeff if he would come by later to help her with basketball. That afternoon Jeff arrives just as Matt is on his way to his job. Matt says he doesn't like the idea of Mary dating his best friend, Mary, of course, resents Matt interfering.

When Matt arrives at his job, he's shocked to see elderly Mrs. Bink open the door wearing an oxygen mask and coughing horribly. As she takes off her mask, she complains that he's late and searches for her cigarettes, but Matt refuses to help her ruin her health. Later Mrs. Bink phones Eric and gleefully reports-without coughing once-that their little scheme to scare Matt about smoking seems to have worked. When Annie comes home, Simon hears a bark and races out into the yard. "It's a miracle!" he shouts. "Come look!" They all watch as Simon greets his new dog, which has miraculously appeared in the front yard. Inside, Annie confesses to Eric that she went by the pound. Eric is upset; she should have checked with him first. But Annie couldn't help herself: they were going to put the dog to sleep. Moments later, Jeff comes by for his basketball date with Mary, but Matt ruins it, warning Jeff not to try anything with his sister. Later Eric tells Annie that Matt volunteered to drive to the airport to meet her parents, who are due to arrive soon. Annie thinks Matt's too inexperienced a driver; he's had his license only three months. Eric confesses that Matt has already left. Now it's Annie's turn to be angry that Eric didn't discuss anything with her. When Matt comes home with Annie's parents, after much hugging and kissing, they all sit down to a wonderful meal. As the grown-ups linger over dessert, the kids run outside to play. Annie senses that her mother has something important to tell her. At last Grandma Jenny tells them her news: she has Leukemia. Eric and Annie are stunned by the news. Grandma Jenny explains that while doctors say treatment might slow the spread of the disease, nothing will cure it. So Grandma Jenny has decided not to undergo the difficult treatments. Instead, she wants to enjoy her last months with her loved ones.

Out on the lawn, the kids have their own secrets to share: as they play with Happy, Matt whispers to Simon that he thinks Happy is going to have puppies. Simon begs him not to tell their dad. The happy sounds of children playing draw Annie and Eric outside, reminding them that for everything there is a season.

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