Happy endings seem to be fleeting on Saving Hope as we seem to have Shahir’s pulled from him and Cassie’s is a bit bittersweet. It appears that Zach and Dawn are going to live happily ever after. And we seem to get a happy ending for Charlie and Alex but as we inch closer to the series finale, even that is up in the air. So far, the only character to get a happy ending is Maggie.
Shahir
Jonathan and Shahir has given Falak a baby memory book and as she flips through it, we get our first indication that she is going to change her mind about the adoption. However, that doesn’t stop Falak from signing the adoption papers. Before Jonathan and Shahir get the baby formally. Falak asks to hold her son for the first and last time.
Huse Madhavji as Shahir Hamza
Shahir encourages Falak to hold her child as skin to skin contact helps with the bonding process. However, that proves to be a big mistake as Falak disappears with her son. An all-out search is on for the duo as the baby needs to go back into the NICU incubator. Shahir and Jonathan learn from Falak’s mom that she told her that she wished she gave her away as a way to encourage her to see through the adoption. Unfortunately, this caused the opposite to happen. Shahir finds Falak who tells him that she wants the chance to be her son’s mom. Shahir promises to drop the adoption and brings the baby back to the NICU. Later, Shahir visits Falak who apologizes for changing her mind about the adoption and tells him that she named the baby Hamza, which means steadfast.
Shahir then meets up with Jonathan and tells him that he promised Falak that they are going to drop the adoption. Shahir apologizes that he knew that Jonathan wanted to be a dad but finds the whole process very hard on his heart. Jonathan doesn’t want to hear what Shahir has to say and leaves. I have a feeling that this is the final nail in the coffin of their relationship.
Cassie
Cassie’s patient, Jake Bugle has returned to Hope Zion asking to see her. Jake claims he still has some issues based on his last visit. When Cassie goes to examine him, she not only sees he has cleaned up and is in a suit but he is now a used car salesman. Cassie also realizes that Jake is the one sending her all of the gifts and the book on Cassandra when he caresses her arm.
Cassie tries to let Jake down easy but he doesn’t take the hint. Even when Zach goes to speak to Jake to say that Cassie isn’t interested, he still doesn’t take the hint and waits for Cassie’s shift to be over.
James Preston Rogers as Jake Bugle and Kim Shaw as Cassie Williams
When it is, Cassie is called into the on-call room by Billy but it really was Jake who initiated the call. Jake has scissors in his hand and begs Cassie to return his affections by citing the story of Apollo and Cassandra. Cassie again tries to let him down gently but Jake refuses to listen.
Jake then thinks Billy is responsible for coming between him and Cassie. Just when it looks like Jake is about to attack him, Billy tackles him to ground but unfortunately, Jake gets stabbed in the abdomen with the scissors.
Kim Shaw as Cassie Williams and James Preston Rogers as Jake Bugle
Cassie rushes Jake into the OR where she and Dana save him.
Part of Cassie’s storyline also involved her excitement in working with her professional hero Dr. Flora Johnson on this revolutionary procedure that the Hope Zion women surgeons are going to perform (more on that later).
Cassie was hoping to impress Dr. Johnson enough to be offered a job as her resident in New York. However, Dr. Johnson gets held up and sends Dr. Jeremy Bishop instead. If you recall, last season Cassie and Jeremy had a brief affair where he left her to try and patch things up with his wife back in LA. The marriage didn’t work out so Jeremy moved to New York to work with Dr. Johnson.
Cassie performed well in the surgery that Jeremy recommended her highly to Dr. Johnson. This was enough for Dr. Johnson and Cassie is moving to New York. While Cassie wasn’t pleased at seeing Jeremy because he broke her heart, she is appreciative of his good word.
Dana throws her a impromptu farewell party where Cassie encourage Billy to assert himself more and tells Dev how much she will miss him.
The Sugarbaker Procedure
This is a revolutionary cancer surgery that takes 14-hours. The patient is Santina Vanelli, an Italian immigrant, who worked very hard to bring her family over from Italy. Santina is 65-years old, raising her granddaughter after the death of her daughter. Santina has inoperable stomach cancer and was given two-weeks to live. The Sugarbaker procedure, if successfull, will give her 10 years.
Leading the charge at Hope Zion is Dawn, Dana, Alex and Cassie while Dev assists and Billy keeps the family updated.
As mentioned, Jeremy arrives to head up the operation on behalf of Dr. Johnson who originated the procedure.
Before the surgery happens, Santina gets a panic attack upon seeing her son-in-law Paulo, return. Relationships are strained between Paulo and the rest of the Vanelli family. This panic attack gives Jeremy some concern over proceeding with the operation but Cassie convinces they should proceed.
Michelle Nolden as Dawn Bell
Just before entering the OR, Dawn learns from Shahir that she wasn’t the first nor second choice to be the new Chief of Surgery after Charlie’s departure. This greatly upsets Dawn that Dana and Alex have to calm her for the good of Santina.
More bad news comes in the form of Santina’s CT scan that shows expanded lymph nodes that could mean the cancer has spread. The ladies wonder if they should tell Jeremy but worried if they do, he will kibosh the surgery. The ladies decide not to tell Jeremy as the CT scan could be wrong.
Peter Mooney as Jeremy Bishop
During the surgery, the ladies are taking out the numerous tumors, when Bishop asks about the lymph nodes, Cassie says they look fine. Jeremy immediately is suspect since Cassie doesn’t have a good angle to know. When Jeremy goes in, he sees the ladies did not disclose the expanded lymph nodes and hopes that the cancer didn’t spread or this surgery is over and pretty much have killed their patient. The lymph nodes are removed and determined that the cancer didn’t spread.
Wendy Crewson as Dana Kinney, Erica Durance as Alex Reid and Michelle Nolden as Dawn Bell
Meanwhile, Charlie may be out of work but that doesn’t stop him from helping the spirit of Santina. Santina feels incredible guilt for not welcoming back Paulo after her daughter’s death. It seems that Paulo briefly left the family and his daughter Bianca over his grief of losing his wife. When Paulo returned, Santina was not forgiving and took him to court to get custody of Bianca. Santina wants to reconcile their families and asks for Charlie’s help and appeals to his love of Alex to do so. Charlie sits next to Paulo as they await news on Santina and is very subtle on getting Paulo to talk about his in-law troubles. When Santina gets Charlie to say an Italian phrase about love, family and home, Paulo translates it. Lucia, Santina’s sister recognizes it as Angie’s favourite saying and this seems to reconcile the families.
Michelle Nolden as Dawn Bell and Benjamin Ayers as Zach Miller
After the surgery, Dawn is still fuming over being third choice after all of the sacrifices she has made to Hope Zion. When Zach arrives, Dawn asks him to take her home. Instead, Zach takes Dawn to her office where his sons are making them dinner (i.e. orange juice and Nutella sandwiches) to celebrate her surgery. Before sitting down, Dawn calls the head of the board to re-negotiate her deal that involves a 5-year contract, an increased budget, a pay raise and 6-weeks vacation so she can spend time with her family.
Later that night, Alex returns home to find Charlie cooking a delicious Italian meal (a recipe he got presumably from Santina’s spirit). Alex tells Charlie that she is ready for them to be a family again and proposes to him. Charlie says yes and is happy that Alex is going to make an honest man of him. Charlie slips on the engagement ring and seals their engagement with a kiss.
Next week is the penultimate episode and from the promo’s we are going to get the long-awaited wedding. But will it happen?
