Circle of Friends

No! No!

You don't have to do this!

: No!

Please! Don't do this, please!

No, please!

Please!

No, please!

Celia?

You were our touchstone.

The glue that held us together.

We don't work without you!

You organized all the trips.

You remembered all the birthdays!

You taught us the latest dances.

You even taught us how to perm our hair!

- And now you're not gonna be here

to teach us how to grow old with grace.

- I think we should take a moment...

...and ask the universe to protect her,

and help her find peace.

And help us understand

why she would do this.

Why she would take her own life.

Sorry I missed the service. My plane took off an hour late.

- It's OK. You're here now. That's what matters.

Joan!

Hi.

So glad you came, Maggie.

- Did she leave a note or something?

- No, no. They didn't find anything.

- How come nobody saw this coming?

Oh, you know Celia.

No matter what she was feeling on the inside,

she always showed that cheery face to the outside world.

- But we aren't supposed to be the outside world to each other.

I know, let's face it.

We're not the same naiïve little group we were in high school.

Life got in the way.

We're all so preoccupied

with our own lives,

we never even saw how much pain she was in!

- I've been so wrapped up in my own world,

I hadn't talked to her in... forever.

- It wouldn't have made a difference.

We were here, and she didn't reach out to us.

- Well, some of us have been pretty busy lately,

flying around the state.

- Well, I tried to talk to her. I swear I did.

It's hard to imagine

the girl who grew up over the hardware store

moving into the governor's mansion!

Get used to it, Maggie!

Andrew's way ahead in the polls.

- I'm really excited for you, Susan.

- Enough to design me a gorgeous gown?

We just buried

one of our best friends.

You think we could deal

with your fashion issues later?

- Can we please be kind to one another?

On today, of all days?

- I would have loved to have had you stay with us,

but with all the renovations, the place is like a war zone.

No, this is great.

It's very sweet of your parents

to let me stay here while they're in Europe.

- Well, of all the girls, you were always their favourite.

OK. Oh, sorry.

I didn't have time to get to the market.

- Feels like yesterday when we used to sit

around here, stuffing our faces with ice cream

and talking about who was dating who.

It was a good time, wasn't it?

It sure was.

So, how you been doing?

- Oh, I've been well, you know, really well.

Well, other than today, that is.

Sure. And how's Steve?

Oh, he's doing fine.

And the kids are, well, kids.

- Oh, wow. They must be so big now.

- Oh yeah, they're a handful, all right.

And Harry?

How's Harry?

My brother?

Oh, you know, he's good. He's really working hard.

- So what have you been doing with yourself lately?

Oh, not much, really.

You know, mostly mom things, wife things.

You know, carpools, soccer games, dinner parties.

- Well, I'm glad to hear you're doing well.

Yeah. OK.

Um, there are fresh linens on your bed,

towels in the bathroom.

Here are the keys,

the alarm code, and the emergency numbers.

OK?

- Tell your parents I appreciate this.

- Are you sure you won't come for dinner?

It's pizza night!

- It sounds tempting, but I'm so beat,

I think I'll curl up in bed with a book and a hot cup of tea.

Life in the fast lane, huh?

Sleep tight.

Ah! Hey!

Harry!

- You damn near scalded me half to death.

- What the hell are you doing here?

- Last time I looked, this was still my parents' house.

- So what, you just decided to drop by and take a shower?

- Actually, my hot water heater blew up,

so this seemed like a good idea.

- Didn't Joan tell you I was staying here?

Well...

Oh!

You sneaky bastard.

You could have called!

Great to see you again, Mags!

AAHH!

Dammit!

- I wasn't surprised you married Lois.

She was always madly in love with you.

: Only at first.

Then she got to know the real me.

Oh, I don't believe that.

You guys were together for quite a while.

- Yeah. There were good times at first.

It just hadn't worked for a really long time.

I just couldn't deal with the idea of divorce, but...

Joan told me that you and Richard

had a really good marriage.

We did.

Maybe it was because we were friends for so long

before we ever went out on a date.

Whatever it was...

It worked.

I'm glad.

- Your letter meant a lot to me, Harry.

It was so shocking, losing Richard like that.

He was really a good guy.

Yeah.

They said he had been drinking.

I don't know how he lost control of that car,

but I know he wasn't drinking.

- Did they find any alcohol in his system?

No.

His car went up in flames.

There wasn't... much left of him.

I just couldn't write you back, Harry.

It was too hard.

I know.

So how long you sticking around?

A few days, if I can.

It's been so long since I've been here,

it's actually nice to be back.

I'm glad to hear that.

Mmm.

You do plan on fixing that water heater, don't you?

It all depends.

Goodnight.

Goodnight.

- Look at that defiant little smile.

Even then, Celia had such spirit.

This was taken the day she made us swear our blood oath

to always be there for one another.

The things you do at 10.

Let me see?

- My God, where did you find that photo?

I never throw anything out!

I still have my Girl Scout uniform.

Hey, do you guys remember

when Celia's bike went missing, and she made us

sneak into every back yard in the neighbourhood to find it?

Righteous indignation,

even in the 4th grade.

That girl, Mandy?

Oh, she was sorry

she picked Celia's bike to steal.

She's been shell- shocked for years!

The truth is,

we were always

Celia's back-up team. She was Nancy Drew.

Always a detective.

- You know, Mandy comes to my yoga studio.

She still can't look me in the eye.

I'm so proud you've turned

all those years of the Downward Dog

into your own business!

Show-off!

Hello?

What do you mean, he got out?

You were supposed to watch him!

He gets terrified

when he can't find his way home!

Fred, her cat.

There's always a drama.

- That's why I hired you to babysit!

Please go find him.

And call me when you do.

I don't care how neurotic it sounds.