DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES
Season 8, Episode 10 - It Would Have Been Wonderful
"A terrible circumstance had happened on Wisteria Lane tonight. You see, one of my friends did something that she would later grow to regret."
Bree Van de Kamp Hodge drew a hot bath, and she overdosed on pills. She laid back, and succumbed to the comfort of the warm water. She fell deep in, ready to drown.
"Bree had tried to kill herself. But the thing is: whenever she did it, no one knew why..."
Chuck stood outside the bathroom door, and he gasped. Quickly, he dialed 911 and tried to get his wife out of the bathtub.
"No one that is... except for her near and dear friends, who lately, were not so much of friends."
At the hospital, an elevator door opened, with Lynette, Gabrielle, and Susan.
"Chuck! Chuck! Bree... is she okay?" asked Susan, who was concerned about Bree.
"The doctors don't know anything right now, but the good thing is I got her here as soon as possible. So hopefully she will come out of it." Chuck replied.
Lynette breathed heavily, and sat down. She set her purse on the table beside her.
"I just cannot believe this happened... again." said Lynette.
"Again? Bree has done this before?" asked Chuck, who was nervous.
"No, not Bree," Gabrielle paused. There was a lump in her throat. "One of our friends, Mary-Alice."
"What made her decide to kill herself?"
"She was being blackmailed by one of our neighbors. She murdered her son's biological mother to protect her son from having to live with a druggie." said Susan.
"Oh, I remember hearing about that..."
A doctor suddenly came in to update Chuck and Bree's friends about her condition. Whenever Susan saw him, she ran over.
"Doc, is she gonna be okay!" yelled Susan.
The doctor gulped, "Your friend is in critical condition...these next few hours are going to be tense. But she's made it this far, so she should be okay."
"Oh my god," said Lynette, "How could we let this happen again?"
Lynette, Susan, and Gabrielle all sat together in the waiting room.
"Yes, Bree Van de Kamp had tried to kill herself. And no one, but her friends knew why. Why? Because of how terrible they had treated her, and the distance that grew between them. But now, they realized, that they must stick together."
Lynette, Gabrielle, and Susan held each other's hands and prayed, while Chuck stood silently, with a cup of coffee.
OPENING CREDITS
"Recent events brought my friends to think things over."
Lynette sat in her pajamas at the hospital, trying to relax. She thought about many things... the cover-up, her marital problems, and her kids.
"They thought about how they were fed up before... and even close to irrational thoughts."
Susan recalled of her financial problems, and her acts of desperation.
"And how they went through things they wish they never had to deal with."
Gabrielle remembered of when she learned that Juanita was not her biological daughter.
"My friends thought things over, but one particular thing that they each thought of... was what if."
Susan, Gabrielle, and Lynette all stared at each other.
"What if... I had never killed myself."
Gabrielle had the girls over for brunch. Situated around the dining table in the kitchen, they all gathered to chat.
"So, Bree, how are things with you and Rex?" asked Lynette.
"Rex and I... well, I think he may be cheating on me." said Bree, coyly.
"What?" barked Gabrielle. "Not you and Rex!"
"Yes... but the worst part is, I think I know who the other woman is!" said Bree.
"Oh my god!" replied Susan. "Who?"
"MAISY GIBBONS!"
The women gasped and Lynette almost spit out her coffee, before laughing. "No! Not Maisy."
"Yes, Maisy."
Susan wanted to give advice. "Well, if Rex is... you know. Just do what I did, and get revenge."
Bree smirked and sipped her coffee. "You know me, and you know that I would revel in that a bit too much."
Suddenly, Mary-Alice pushed the door open to the kitchen.
"Sorry I'm late, I was rushing to take Zach to the doctor's. He's sick again, with a flu."
Mary-Alice sat down and Gabrielle poured her a cup of coffee, which Lynette then gave to her.
"Thanks," said Mary-Alice, "So what did I miss? Who are we dishing? What is there to talk about?"
Lynette jumped in. "Well, Bree believes that Rex is cheating on her... with Maisy Gibbons."
"I don't buy that! It's Maisy."
"That's what I said!"
"Whatever, ladies, can we just drop it!" shouted Bree.
"Anyways..." said Gaby, trying to keep the conversation going.
"Did you see Edie last night? I swear to God, she was sleeping with her plumber."
Susan choked on her coffee. "Her plumber? The new guy? Mike?" asked Susan.
"Yes! The hot one!" replied Gaby.
"He is so dreamy," said Susan, "To be honest, I kind of like him."
Gaby playfully kicked Susan's leg. "Ooooh, you liiiike him."
"Shut up!"
"Ask him out, then, don't be shy!" advised Lynette.
"Yeah Susan, I'm sure he'd like you if he got to know you." said Mary-Alice.
"Perhaps..."
"You never know! Just talk to him once... get to know him." said Bree.
"I'll have to try that. But I mean, he's Edie's meat now."
"Edie will move on in a week."
"True, but I do not want any STDs to linger on me."
All of the women giggled.
Some time later, Susan knocked on Bree's door.
Bree went to answer it. "Susan! Do come on in."
"Hey, Bree." Susan held her hands in her pockets. She wore her typical jeans, and had on a blue blouse.
"I need you to do me a favor..."
Bree was tending to the living room. She dusted the coffee table, before replying, "What may that be?"
"Well... I am having Mike over for dinner tonight. I told him I could cook... you know, to impress him."
"And you want me to cook something. Don't you?" asked Bree.
Susan chuckled nervously. "Yeah..."
"Oh Susan, I am so sorry, but I'm busy tonight. I'm investigating."
"Investigating? Investigating what?"
"I'm going to see who my husband is cheating on me with!"
"Bree! He is not cheating."
"You don't know that! I don't know that! If I cannot even trust my husband anymore, that says something! Besides, he is sleeping on the couch!"
"Ooh.. that's bad."
"I told you so! Now Susan, I am sorry, but you will have to do something for yourself.. just this once."
"Alright, well... good luck."
"You too!"
Susan left, and she did not get the reaction she was hoping for. Well, off to the grocery store, she thought.
"Porter! Preston! Knock it off!" Lynette yelled. She was trying to get Penny to sleep, but she couldn't because of the ruckus her children were creating.
Then, the phone rang. "You just can't help me once, can you?" Lynette looked up, referring to the man upstairs.
"Hello?" answered Lynette, while holding Penny.
"Hey honey!" said Tom, ambivalently.
"Tom... what's going on?"
"Not much... I just called to see how you were doing."
Porter and Preston spilled a milk carton on the floor, creating a huge sticky puddle.
"Everything is just dandy..." Lynette looked like she was about to cry.
"Can I call you back?" she asked.
"Sure thing, love you."
"I love you too..." Lynette hung up the phone. "BOYS!"
"What Mommy?" replied Preston.
"You are going to clean this up yourselves, because Mommy is not going to do this anymore! You are big and ugly enough to take care of yourself!"
She threw a paper towel at the boys. "Have fun!"
Gabrielle was outside, in the hot-tub. John, her gardener, was tending to the bushes and she was drinking a margarita. It was a hot day outside, and John made things even hotter.
"Hey John," said Gaby suggestively, "When you are finished... come here."
Gaby unstrapped her bikini, implying that she wanted to get dirty with him.
John quickly tended to the bushes, and ran over to the hot tub. He took off his shoes, and Gabrielle got out and ripped off his shirt. The two engaged in a passionate kiss.
"You are sweaty! You must be so tired from all that work..."
"You have no idea." said John.
"Oh, but I do." Gabrielle caressed John's cheek, and the two jumped in the hot tub.
"Gaby!" yelled Mary-Alice, who needed to speak with her. Mary-Alice knocked at the front door. "Gaby, are you home?"
Gaby, who was kissing John, heard her. "Shit! That's my friend. Oh my god."
"Should I leave?"
Suddenly, Mary-Alice came in through the back gate.
"No, hold your breath!" Gaby dunked John's head under the water.
"Mary-Alice... what can I do for you?"
"Should I come back at another time?"
"Uhhh, no!" Gaby grabbed a towel and held it over her body. "What's going on?"
"Well, I just wanted to ask if you wanted to tag along with Bree and me."
"For what?"
"We are going to follow Rex after work and see if he's... cheating."
"Sure!"
"Really? Great! We'll pick you up around 5. That's when Rex gets off."
"Alright! See you then."
"Are you busy?"
"Kind of..." replied Gaby.
Mary-Alice finally understood what Gaby was doing. "Oh my gosh! I am so sorry!"
Gaby giggled. "Oh... it's alright."
Mary-Alice left, and Gaby ran to John.
"That was close," he said, "Thank god..."
"I know, right?"
Mary-Alice overheard their conversation, nodding in disapproval, before she left.
Susan was at the grocery store, before she ran into Edie. Susan accidentally ran her cart into Edie's behind.
"Excuse you!" yelled Edie. "Oh, Susan. Hello."
"Hi...Edie." greeted Susan, unwillingly.
"Getting groceries, eh?"
"Yeah."
"I thought you couldn't cook."
"Well, it's special."
"Special?"
"I have a date."
Edie started laughing. "A date? Who on Earth would want to date you?"
Susan bit her tongue. "You're funny."
"Oh Susan, I'm only kidding."
"Whatever." Susan walked away, she was quite upset.
Susan was about to go into the next aisle, when she saw Mary-Alice.
"Oh hey Mary-Alice!" said Susan.
"Hey, dear!" Mary-Alice walked over with a grin on her face.
"How are you doing?" asked Susan.
"I am swell! Just picking up some ingredients last-minute for dinner. I think I'm just going to make lasagna."
"That sounds good. Do you know where I could find a colander...? I have to use one for a recipe I'm making."
"Sure thing! What are you making?"
Susan stares intellectually at her grocery list. "Uhhh...pastitsio." Susan pronounced it incorrectly.
Mary-Alice chuckled. "Oh, sweetie, you need some help." Mary-Alice put her arm around Susan.
"Yes...yes I do."
The two walked together.
Lynette saw to it that her children would clean. The twins were doing the dishes at the sink, while Lynette was sitting on the couch, reading a magazine and sipping a glass of wine.
"Great work, boys! Whenever you're done with that, you can take a break."
Lynette overheard a knock at the door. "I hate you, whoever-is-at-the-door... I really don't wanna get up. PARKER! Get the door for Mommy."
Parker, who was mopping the floor, got irritated. Parker crossed his arms. "You do it!"
Lynette gave her son the evil eye, "Now!"
Parker, who suddenly got scared, and ran to the door. He opened it.
"Hi Mrs. Young!"
Mary-Alice smiled at him. "Hey there! Is your mother home?"
Lynette got up and walked over to the door. "Hello Mary-Alice!" said Lynette with a smile.
"Hey... I have business to attend to, but I'm curious. Bree and Gaby and I are all going to see if Rex is really... you know."
"Yeah. How are you going to do that?"
"We're taking my car, so we can spy on him."
"Isn't that a bit... immature? I mean, surely Rex isn't..."
"You never know. And it's Bree, okay, she's our best friend. Wouldn't you want to know if your husband was cheating on you?"
Lynette laughed. "Not really... no."
"So I presume you aren't going with us?"
"I don't think so. Besides... I have other matters to attend to." Lynette glared at her children. "I have to discipline them."
"Well... good luck." Mary-Alice left.
Lynette shut the door. "Alright boys, back to work!"
Susan was preparing dinner, and Julie came down the stairs.
"Wow, Mom, something smells good. For once your cooking doesn't look too bad!"
"Shut up! You are going to jinx me and that is the last thing I need! I need Mike to like me!"
"You sound more desperate than a teenage girl."
"Only you would know that." Susan got smart with her daughter.
Julie smirked. "I'm going out with Danielle and Andrew tonight. Have fun."
"Love you, sweetie! Enjoy yourself." said Susan.
Julie smiled, put on her jacket, and left.
Susan put the food in the oven and then went upstairs to fix her make-up. She fixed her lipstick, only to smear it by accident.
"Dammit!" Susan had to reapply it, again.
She heard the doorbell ring. But she wasn't finished putting on her make-up. She sighed tensely. "Coming!"
Susan quickly went down the stairs, only to trip over her foot. Susan tumbled down the stairs, and Mike let himself in.
"Oh my god, are you alright?" Mike ran over to her, and helped her up.
Susan stared into his eyes. She was aroused by his act of kindness. "Y-yes." she said.
Suddenly, the two smelled something burn. "Son of a bitch! The pastitsio!"
"You mean pastitsio?" said Mike, correcting her. "Shut up and help me put this out!"
A fire was brewing in the oven. "Oh, ow, ow, hot!" yelled Susan.
Mike and Susan, together, put out the fire. "Looks like I should order Chinese..."
"Wouldn't that be nice?" said Mike.
The two smiled, and chuckled.
Bree, Mary-Alice and Gabrielle are sitting together in Mary-Alice's car, with Mary-Alice driving. They were following Rex to determine if whether or not he was cheating.
"I really hope he isn't... I just don't know what I'd do." said Bree.
Mary-Alice set her hand on Bree's lap. "Sweetie, it will be okay. Won't it, Gaby?"
Mary-Alice glared at Gabrielle, alluding to her discovery from earlier.
Gabrielle stuttered. "Y-yeah... Bree, it will be fine."
"It better be." said Bree. "I don't know what is going to happen..."
Bree sighed, she was beyond frustrated. Her marriage could very well be over.
Shortly after driving far enough, Rex's car stopped in front of a home. A door opened, and it was no one other than Maisy Gibbons.
Rex smiled at her and walked over to her. Bree watched closely, as she was very nervous.
"Oh no..." said Bree. "No...please God...no... Don't let it be true." Tears fell from Bree's eyes.
Rex kissed Maisy.
Mary-Alice frowned, and Gabrielle sat quietly. Gabrielle did not know how to react.
Bree bursted into tears. "No, I have to stop. I have to act like a lady, and keep my emotions in check...Mary-Alice...just drive. Take me home."
"Alright."
It was a silent ride back to Wisteria Lane, as the two women were depressed that their friend's suspicions were right all along.
Susan and Mike were situated around the kitchen counter, eating Chinese and drinking a cheap bottle of wine.
"I'm sorry about everything... If there's one thing you should know about me - it's that I'm a terrible cook."
"So I figured," said Mike, before chuckling, "But it's okay. We all have our flaws."
Susan sighed, "Ain't that the truth."
Mike nodded. "Well, it's been a long, though fun, night. I guess I'll see you around?"
Susan replied, "Absolutely." Susan handed Mike his leather jacket... and Mike gave her a kiss.
"You most definitely will be seeing me around."
"I'll look forward to it." Mike winked at her, and let himself out.
Susan smiled and cleaned things up.
Meanwhile, over at Bree's, Bree was packing Rex's bags for him. Bree walked down the stairs, with Andrew and Danielle following not far behind.
"You can't kick Dad out!" roared Danielle.
"What the hell is the matter with you?"
Bree set Rex's bags by the door, and turned around. "The man is engaging in a dalliance with a woman I know! That is not acceptable!"
"So?" said Andrew. "He's still our dad, and your husband."
"Don't you get it? The man is cheating on me, and I will not allow him to be my husband anymore. He has disrespected not only himself, but me, and the sanctity of our marriage!"
Bree walked in the kitchen and poured herself a glass of wine.
"I hate you!" yelled Danielle. "You're kicking Daddy out!"
"If you insist, Danielle, whatever. Hate me, see if I care. You're not the first."
Bree sulked, while Andrew crossed his arms. Rex opened the door, and came home.
"Sorry I'm late, it was a long night at work."
"I'm sure it was." muttered Bree to herself. Bree returned to the foyer with a glass of wine.
"Don't speak another lie, Rex. I know everything."
Rex shut the door behind him. "What the hell are these?"
"Your bags. Leave."
"I think we need to have a talk."
"I don't think so. I saw you with Maisy."
Andrew and Danielle stood in the doorway of the kitchen, contently listening to their parents' argument.
"Andrew, Danielle, go to bed." said Bree. "Now!" she yelled.
"Fine, you win. I'm going... I'm gone."
"Goodbye."
Bree went up the stairs and began to cry. Rex frowned and grabbed his bags and slammed the door behind him.
The next morning, Mary-Alice went outside to fetch her mail. An unsealed envelope held a discreetly written letter placed on purple stationary. To her surprise, it said:
I know what you did
It makes me sick
I'm going to tell
Mary-Alice went inside, and read the words again. The words intimidated her, and mocked her. They knew everything; her biggest secrets. And what was she going to do? Well, what else could she have done? It was time. Someone knew everything. And the most desperate choice... suicide... was the only thing left.
Mary-Alice went to the closet to pick up her gun. She pointed it at her head, only to hear a knock at the door. She quickly put the gun back in the box and in the closet.
She went to answer the door, and it was Gabrielle.
"Gaby... hello." she said, with a blank face.
"I thought about everything. You were right. What I did was wrong, and John and I... well, I fired him."
"Really? I'm happy for you. You did the right thing." Mary-Alice set her hand on Gaby's arm.
"Thank you... really."
"It was no problem," said Mary-Alice, "I'd love to invite you in...but I have something to attend to."
"Well, you're a good person. You really helped me go in the right direction."
Mary-Alice smiled, "Goodbye Gabrielle."
"See ya." said Gaby with a smile. Gaby walked off.
Mary-Alice walked back inside, and she looked at the gun. She debated on whether or not she should do it. Then, she thought of what Gabrielle said to her. "You're a good person."
She let the words sink in, and soon enough, after much thought... she closed the closet door and looked at the note. She ripped it up and threw it in the garbage.
Mary-Alice stepped outside and viewed the neighborhood from her doorstep. She waved to her neighbors, and took a deep breath. She thought about Wisteria Lane, her friends, and how she would not let anything get in her away. . . again.
Gabrielle woke up from a nap. Her dream was over, and it was nothing close to reality. "Gaby! Gaby! Wake up! We have good news!" yelled Susan.
Lynette and Chuck were behind Susan. "What?" asked Gaby.
"We can see Bree now... she's okay."
Gaby lifted up from the chair in excitement. "She's alive?"
"Yes." said Lynette, smiling. "It all will be fine."
Lynette, Susan, Gabrielle, and Chuck all walked back to the room where Bree resided.
"Hey, my love." said Chuck. Chuck sat on the side of Bree's bed, holding her hand. He kissed her cheek.
Bree was confused. "...What happened?" she asked.
"You... you tried to kill yourself." stated Lynette, bluntly. Lynette held her purse on her shoulder.
"Oh my god. I'm so sorry...I haven't been thinking."
Chuck held her hand again. "Sweetie, it is alright. Just.. try and relax."
Gaby and Susan stared at each other, they realized they all had to talk to Bree.
"Chuck, I know you want to talk to her.. but could you give us girls a minute?" said Susan.
Susan walked towards Bree, and smiled. "Yeah, sure thing."
Chuck left the room with his cup of coffee.
Lynette quickly walked towards Bree. "What the hell were you thinking? You could have died!"
"Don't you realize how selfish you were being?" yelled Susan.
"Guys! Stop yelling at her!" defended Gaby.
"I'm sorry... I'm so sorry." said Bree. What else could she have said?
Gaby placed her hand on Bree's shoulder.
"After what happened, we need to be supporting Bree. She is going to be sensitive."
"Gaby, I am not a charity case. Really, I can take care of myself."
Gaby frowned.
"We agreed to bury that secret a long time ago! And we told each other... we made a pact that we would never split apart and let anything hurt us! But ironically, this secret, this awful, awful secret, has been tearing us apart! We cannot let it happen... again." said Lynette.
Susan nodded, and Gaby sighed. "She's right, you know." said Gaby, to Bree.
"I know. But I have been so alone." Bree started to cry. "You just don't get it."
"No, no, I do. Tom and I are divorcing, and I am lonely too, but you don't see me doing something like this! Bree, I love you, but what the hell? Why?"
"Because, Lynette! Just stop hounding me, because I really do not want to talk about it!" yelled Bree.
"Alright..."
Susan jumped in. "Either way guys, we have to stick together now." Susan held out her hand.
Gaby put her hand above Susan's. Bree joined in next, and then Lynette, who distanced herself, but she realized that it was the right thing.
"And break!" shouted Susan, and all the girls chuckled.
They all gathered together and hugged, but Chuck listened to the entire conversation. Smirking, he knew something is going on.
"We all wish things would go the way we want them to."
Bree, laying in the hospital bed, wishes she would have successfully died.
"And whenever they do not go the way we want them to, we think about how it would be if they did. We ask ourselves, 'What if?', and think about what could have been."
In Gabrielle's imagination, Mary-Alice is still alive, and playing poker with the ladies at Bree's.
"And hope that things would have turned out a lot better than how they really did."
Susan and Lynette pray that things will get better.
"But really, instead of wasting time thinking about what could be, focus on what will be."
Bree tries to have a positive attitude about her future. She sighs, and then smiles.