My Sister’s Keeper

Anna comes into the living room and asks Sara and Brian for $614.96. Sara asks her what she needs it for; Anna is initially evasive but then reluctantly answers that she needs goaltender leg pads for hockey. When Sara says that she doesn’t play hockey, Anna explains that she happened to start playing with a team a few months ago, and that while the coach invited her onto the team, she has to supply her own equipment. Sara tells her that she and Brian have to discuss whether they can buy it for her, and Anna, disappointed, leaves. Sara and Brian realize that neither of them knew Anna was playing hockey.

The Fitzgeralds are about to leave to watch one of Anna’s hockey games, but Kate doesn’t want to go; she’s self-conscious about a rash on her face, which is a side effect of her bone marrow transplant. Sara refuses to let her stay home but wraps her in scarves to hide her face. At the game, Anna plays goalie  fantastically, causing all the other Fitzgeralds—even Kate—to get invested in the match. Brian is shocked at her natural talent, but Sara isn’t. After all, “Anna saves, every time.”

That night, Kate begins to hemorrhage uncontrollably. Sara and Brian rush her to the ER; although they’re used to doing this, they have never seen anything this bad. Dr. Chance sees them and suggests arsenic therapy, a treatment that is so new that there aren’t even any success stories yet. He points out that Kate has already lived 10 years past her prognosis, subtly suggesting that her time has come. Sara, however, insists on the treatment. When Dr. Chance comes out and says that the hemorrhaging will likely outpace the treatment, Sara stares at a children’s growth chart on the wall and tries to remember if she told Kate she loved her before putting her to bed.

Around two in the morning, Brian slips out of Kate’s room. Sara looks for him and finds him writing on a scrap of paper at the end of the hallway. When he sees Sara, he suggests bringing Kate home immediately, since he believes she would want to die in her own bed. When Sara protests, Brian tells her that Kate is dying, and they’ll be lucky to have her for another year. Sara says that she loves Kate, and Brian says he does too—too much to see her suffer. Sara looks at Brian’s paper and realizes he’s writing a eulogy. Brian, beginning to cry, says he wants to do it now while he’s still able. An hour later, Sara calls Suzanne sobbing and asks her to come down.

Kate slips into a coma on her 11th day of transfusions and arsenic therapy. Sara attempts to hold a vigil but is pulled away because Jesse has been suspended for exploding the school’s septic tank. She goes to pick him up, and he complains about the principal. When Sara responds that he will always be up against something, Jesse accuses her of making everything about Kate and says that she doesn’t know what it’s like being the brother of a girl with cancer, and Sara points out that she’s the mother of a girl with cancer. She then notices injection marks on his arm and confronts him about it. He tells her that he’s the one who’s been donating blood to Kate, then runs out of the car.

Two weeks into Kate’s hospital stay, Sara goes home. She’s hanging out in the kitchen with Suzanne when Anna comes in and happily shows her an acceptance letter from a hockey camp, which she was able to get a full scholarship for. Sara tells her that she can’t go, but Anna points out that it isn’t until next summer—implying that Kate will be dead by then, freeing her of her obligation as a donor. Even so, Sara worries that, if Kate survives, they will need Anna as a donor when she is away. Anna insists on knowing why she can’t go, and Sara asks that Anna not make her do this. Anna retorts that she doesn’t make Sara do anything, then runs out to shoot against the wall of the garage.

Seventeen days into the hospital stay, Kate develops an infection. One day, Dr. Chance comes in to check on her and tells Sara that she needs to say goodbye. The Fitzgeralds prepare to do so, with Jesse and Anna spending time at Kate’s side. Later, Sara and Brian sit with her. Sara says that Brian was right and that they should’ve taken her home, but Brian says they would’ve always wondered if they didn’t try the arsenic. He says that Kate is waiting for Sara’s permission to leave and starts to cry. After he falls asleep, Sara talks to Kate and says goodbye to her, telling her that she’ll be able to see Sara waiting for her in Heaven. Sara squeezes Kate’s hand, then feels her fingers move.