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When Michael becomes human, Eleanor doesn’t go through the door. She feels calm, at peace, but she still doesn’t feel ready, so she waits. She hangs out with her friends and listens to their adventures. She has mani-pedis with her mom, reminisces with Chidi’s. She visits Tahani to see how the design for Mindy’s test is going. She keeps Janet company because no matter how much she tries to hide it, she probably misses Michael more than she’ll miss any of them, excluding Jason.
Considering how long she’s spent in the Good Place, it barely feels like a week has passed before Michael is making his way back. There had been talk of making him go through his own test, to have the full human experience that way, but as Eleanor had pointed out, Michael had been an integral part of their hellish journey. Heck, he’d been a demon who’d done all he could to help four lowly humans. That had been his test, and he’d passed with flying colours.
He looks the same as when he’d left, but happier. So happy it would hurt Eleanor’s cheeks with how hard she’s smiling at the sight of him; if pain were still possible.
“Eleanor, you won’t believe the things I got up to on Earth! I took guitar lessons! And I got good! I even played for an audience and they cheered for me, me, Eleanor!” His excitement dims and his forehead creases in confusion. “Wait, why are you still here? I thought you were going to go through the door.
Still smiling, Eleanor replies, “Because I couldn’t miss this, ya doofus. I needed to hear about all your time on Earth before I kicked it one last time. And, I dunno, I thought maybe we could, you know…”
Understanding dawns and a soft smile replaces the frown, “Go through together?”
“Sounds super corny when you say it.”
Michael takes her hand in his and pats it. “I think it sounds absolutely wonderful. Now, let’s go get some Froyo while I tell you all about it! And Janet, we need to invite Janet.”
Michael calls Janet and the three of them sit outside a Froyo place that takes Eleanor back to the beginning. Michael barely takes a breath as he tells them all about his life on Earth. He tells them more about the guitar lessons, about his oh so patient teacher. He tells them about the dalmation he adopted called Spot, because was there a more perfect name? He tells them about the friends he made, the friends he lost, the grief he felt. He tells them about love, the love he developed for his guitar teacher, who felt it right back for him. He tells them about a wedding, an understated little thing that took place on a cliffside, just like the one Michael had taken her to on their first date. He said she had told him that he reminded her how much joy could be felt from the little things in life. He said that she made him realise why humans continued to fight, even when they faced so much adversity.
Eleanor asks if he wouldn’t want to spend more time with her when she finally passed her test and Michael shakes his head. What they had was special, but he was fine leaving their time together on Earth. She had helped give Michael the final piece he needed to feel complete, to feel like he achieved all he needed to. He does, however, ask Janet to keep an eye on her, make sure they aren’t being too harsh on her down there. Janet promises she will.
When Michael has said everything he can, it’s time. Janet takes them to the forest and tells them they can sit on the bench as long as they want.
“I’m good, what about you, bud?” Eleanor asks.
Michael’s gaze is fixed on the door. “I’m good too, I’m so good.”
They both give Janet one last hug and no one could ever confuse her for a robot, not with how the tears fall down her cheeks. Happy ones, for her friends are doing what they need to do, and sad ones, because this chapter in her life is finally ending, and she’s not exactly sure what she’ll do next.
“Piggy back?” Eleanor asks and before Michael can reply, she’s jumping on his back. Only Michael’s quick reflexes catch her legs in time, and he laughs loudly, hitching her up.
“Oh, what a way to go!” He cries.
“You got that right.”
Michael walks them to the archway and Eleanor wraps her arms tighter around Michael. Their own final hug.
“So, ready to see what’s next?” She asks quietly.
“Oh Eleanor, I can’t wait.”
Michael takes one more step, and the two of them dissolve into the universe.