An Accidental Christmas (2007) - full transcript
Vicki and Jason, a separated husband and wife, are set up by their children to spend Christmas vacation at the beach together. Complications ensue when both Vicki's boss and Jason's assistant show up, but in the end both realize that they are meant to be together and that the marriage is far from over and that love will bring their family back together.
[peaceful orchestral music]
[festive orchestral music]
- No, no, I'll be back
in right after lunch.
You'll have the drafts on
your desk by four o'clock.
No, that's my other line.
Listen, just tell Myles
that he'll have them.
Victoria Wright.
- Evidently our property
taxes weren't paid.
- Hello to you too, Jason.
- According to this, we owe
some kind of a penalty now.
[chuckles] Lucky us.
- Well, did you pay it?
- You take care of these things.
- But I'm not living
in the house anymore,
so obviously I am not
going to be keeping track
of these things anymore, am I?
- [Jason] Then why
don't you, I don't know,
make a list or something?
- [Victoria] Jason, you're
the one who insisted
on staying in the house.
- I don't know why I'm
expected to leave the house
when you're having some
kind of a mid-life crisis!
Or something.
- I'm getting Will the
Herculaneum action figure he
wanted.
- [sighs] Her-what?
What are you talking about?
- Christmas, the kids.
Try not to forget that too.
- This is...
This is really not
working for me, Vic.
This has been going on
since last Christmas.
How long do you think this
separation thing is gonna last?
- I don't know.
- Well, I hope you figure
out whatever you need to
figure out soon, because the
rest of your family's lives
are falling apart.
[phone rings]
- Oh. [sighs]
Victoria Wright.
No.
No, I emailed those to the
building inspector this morning.
- Improving all my work?
- Oh.
Myles, no, of course not.
I was just doodling.
- Well, let me see.
You've widened the
hole by six inches.
That's a waste of space.
- Well, actually it's not.
It opens up the sight-line
in the living room,
giving it a better view
and it creates this extra
little area here for
another closet.
[Myles chuckles]
- You know, you're
really quite good.
- I feel it coming back, slowly.
- Now, don't sell
yourself short.
If you'd stuck at this, you'd
have your own firm by now.
- Uh, I finished the electrical
drafts that you wanted.
- You gave up a lot
for your family.
- Oh, speaking of family.
I've gotta pick up Will and
take him to karate class.
- A working mother's
life, not a moment's rest.
Well, I am going to
take your change,
and make it my own
brilliant idea.
- Brilliant?
- Don't let it go to your head.
[chuckles]
- And have Sullivan bring
all the cases dealing
with trademark--
- Okay but you actually--
- Who's that redhead
at paralegal?
Have her sent to my office.
- Got it.
- I want her to write up a
draft for the Simons case, too.
And what about that
call to Jack Sever?
Have we done that too?
- Excuse me!
- Kristine.
If you have something
to say, just say it.
- Your daughter, you're supposed
to pick her up from school.
- What time is it? Oh, no.
Not again, um, okay, give
this to Judge Murphy,
and explain I will review the
case tomorrow morning with him
but I'm sorry I missed and I
had to go pick up my daughter.
- Hey, Dad.
- Hey, honey, I'm sorry.
- It's no problem, Tracy's
mom dropped me off.
- [sighs] It's just...
We got tied up in this
deposition and I...
I blew it, sorry.
- This kinda stuff
never happened
when you and Mom were together.
- Yeah, tell her that.
- Come on, we're gonna be late.
Karate practice, in
like 15 minutes?
Seriously, Dad, don't
you remember anything?
Is he always like that?
- Always.
- [Jason] Hey, hey,
hey, hey, no teaming up.
[boys grunt]
- That's it, guys, keep those
hands up, keep those hands up.
Keep moving, keep
moving, keep moving.
- But I don't understand.
You mean we're not gonna
have Christmas together?
- We're gonna be together.
We're gonna drive up to grandma
and grandpa's a few days
before Christmas, we'll have
Christmas Eve dinner with them.
- And what about Dad?
- Well, on Christmas Day,
then we'll drive back down,
so you can be with your dad.
- Where will we do presents?
- Both places.
It'll be like having
two Christmases.
- I don't want Christmases.
I want one Christmas
like we always do.
- Tiger, I know this
isn't easy for any of us,
but it'll be
wonderful, I promise.
- Alright.
- Hey, Mom.
- Oh hi, honey.
Boy, you look cute.
- Thanks.
- I thought you forgot.
- Of course not.
Just got caught in
a little traffic.
How's the new job going?
- It feels good.
Myles is giving me more
to do all the time.
- Oh, Myles Kelly always
had a thing for you.
- What?
That's crazy.
- A husband knows.
Trust me.
You never notice how he just
happened to take his vacation
at the beach at the same
exact time that we always did?
- He owns a place there,
it was a coincidence.
- Once or twice
is a coincidence,
but he did it
practically every time.
- [Instructor] Arms out.
Bring down to you.
And bow.
- Myles has been a godsend,
he's taking a chance on me
when I haven't
worked in 15 years.
- Three guesses why.
- Don't start that again.
- What?
Tell me, what do you want, huh?
Do you want me to bring
home flowers occasionally?
Do you want me to take you out
on date night or something?
Fine.
I'll do it.
Just tell me what you want.
- I just, wanna
feel like me again.
- What am I supposed to
do with that information?
- I don't know, Jason,
I really don't.
It's not a trial,
it's not evidence.
[children and instructor grunt]
- People ask me why we separated
and I just look at them.
To tell the truth,
I have no idea.
- Which is exactly the
problem, because you have been
so busy working 90 hours a week,
that you didn't even
realize we had a problem!
- I work to pay for our
house, to pay for our cars,
to pay for everything
else, that was our deal.
I make the income, you take
care of running the house.
- Our deal?
And you wonder why I
needed time away from you.
- Mom, Dad!
Why don't you just
go on a TV show
so the whole world
could see you fight?
- Sorry.
- [Instructor] Let's go,
guys, come on, here we go.
And go one, two!
And go one, two!
- I gotta get going anyway.
You've got the kids
tonight, right?
And what do we do
about Christmas?
- Well, Melissa wants to go
on that Disney World trip
with Tracy's family, but I--
- I think that's a good idea.
- For her to be away
from us on Christmas?
- Come on, Vicky, we're not
really together anyway, are we?
You can't have it both ways.
- I thought you said
they'd work it out.
- Maybe I was wrong.
[festive orchestral music]
- Oh, no.
- What's wrong?
- Oh, it's just the beach house.
The family that was supposed
to rent it for Christmas week
just canceled on me.
- Maybe we could go.
- Oh, Tiger, we can't.
I've got way too much to do,
and we're driving up to
your grandmother's tomorrow.
Besides, there's nothing
Christmassy about the beach.
- [sighs] Melissa's getting
to go to Disney World,
and I'm not getting
to do anything.
- Honey, I know--
- This is gonna be the
worst Christmas ever.
- Would you like
to yell at me now?
- Why bother?
Everybody else is doing
such a good job.
- Is that the wedding album?
[warm orchestral music]
- I forgot you and Dad
spent your honeymoon
at the beach house.
- Your grandparents bought
that house back in the fifties,
before you had to be a
multi-millionaire to own
beach-front property
in California.
And then, when your
dad made partner,
they gave it to us.
We renovated it, of course,
but it was worth it.
Started renting it out,
with the hopes that the
money would go towards
starting my own design firm.
Well, you know what
happened to that.
- But you guys took us
down there every summer.
Even when I was little,
I remember going.
- Yeah, we certainly had
some very good times there.
- So, what happened, Mom?
Were you really that
unhappy with Dad?
- No, Melissa, I wasn't happy.
But I promise you, it had
nothing to do with you
or your brother.
- But now it's like you're
this whole other person.
You're working all the time.
- It's a little
overwhelming for me too.
But I like it.
I mean, for the
first time in ages,
I don't feel like I'm a piece
of furniture that people just
pass by as they go
about their lives.
- Dad wants you to come
back, he told me so.
- Your father wants
someone to cook and clean,
and pay the bills and
pick up the kids.
Honestly, if he just
got a good housekeeper,
he wouldn't even miss me.
- Mom.
- I wish it weren't true.
I'm gonna go check
on your brother.
[playful orchestral music]
- Your daughter's on the phone.
I told her you were
getting ready for court,
but she says it's
really important.
- Alright, I have a
few moments, thanks.
Hey, sweetie.
I thought you were on your
way down to Disney World.
- Tracy's family can't
go on the trip.
Tracy got really sick.
- Oh, that's terrible.
- And Mom and Will already
left for grandma's, so,
now I have nothing
to do for Christmas.
[suspenseful music]
- Hey, hey, hey, you're
not gonna believe this,
but our beach rental
just fell out.
- You're kidding.
- Hey, how about we
head down there?
- That sounds great.
- Well, I'll have
Kristine book the flights,
and I'll call and tell your mom.
- Oh, that's Mom beeping
through on my line now.
I'll tell her.
- Terrific.
Hey, Melissa?
We're gonna have fun.
- We're gonna get in so
much trouble for this.
- Desperate times call
for desperate measures.
Your turn.
- Hey, Grandpa?
It's Will.
Yeah, listen, about that.
I was wondering if you could
do Melissa and me a favor?
- Why haven't you gone
for Christmas yet?
- We're leaving in an hour.
I just wanted to get the
Anderson schematics out
before the holiday.
- All work and no play.
- So I've heard.
[phone rings]
Victoria Wright.
- Mom?
- Hey, Tiger.
I'll be home in 15 minutes.
- Mom, we can't go.
- [Victoria] Of
course we can go.
- [Will] Grandpa just called,
he said they both got some
kind of flu and could we
maybe go up next week instead?
- What else could go wrong?
Alright, let me call them
and see what I can do.
- Oh, Mom, I was thinking,
couldn't we just go to the
beach house, the two of us?
- I don't know.
- Hey, why don't you go?
I'm gonna be up there
for Christmas too.
- Who's that?
- Myles.
- Come on, it'd be fun.
- Mom, please.
- I don't know.
- Come on, as Elvis would say,
it'll be a blue
Christmas without you.
[Victoria chuckles]
- Okay, I guess
we're going to have
a beach Christmas this year.
- Great.
- Yes!
[upbeat music]
♪ Well it's a
California Christmas ♪
♪ And it's the best
time of the year ♪
♪ Put away your boots
and your big snow suits ♪
♪ 'Cause you won't
need them here ♪
♪ Pack up all the surfboards
and get ready to go ♪
♪ You can wear your sandals
'cause it never snows ♪
- Wow.
I always forget how
beautiful it is.
- There's not all the crowds
like there usually are
in the summer.
- You know, this is
the way it looked
when we first came here.
- Your honeymoon?
- Yeah.
- Dad!
No work.
- I was just checking
my messages.
- You promised.
- Yeah.
Yeah, you're right,
I should just...
Relax and unwind and...
Spend some amazing
one-on-one time
with my favorite teenager.
[chuckles]
Wanna catch some waves?
- Absolutely!
[Jason chuckles]
- You're on.
[upbeat music]
Ah, welcome to your
Christmas break.
- I'm gonna go get my suit on.
- Okay.
Ah!
Place looks good!
Sweetie, do you remember
where we keep the towels?
- Uh yeah, I'll get 'em.
- Okay, I'll meet you
downstairs in what, 15 minutes?
- Sounds good.
- Yeah.
- Well, here we are.
Oh, Rico must be here.
I should have called him
to tell him we were coming.
I feel kind of bad
being on vacation
when your grandparents
are so sick.
- You called them, right?
- Oh, yeah.
They didn't sound sick
to me, but according to
your grandfather, they're
both really contagious.
So, it won't be exactly
what we planned,
but we should have
a great Christmas.
- [Will] Uh-huh.
- Rico?
Hello?
Oh.
[gasps]
[Jason yelps]
[playful orchestral music]
- What are you doing here?
- What are you doing here?
- There was a cancellation.
- I know, I got it,
but I thought--
- I thought you were
at your parents'.
- They're sick.
- Hi, Mom.
- You're supposed
to be in Orlando.
- Tracy's family
canceled the trip.
- Don't tell me,
someone got sick.
- Well, uh, how about that?
Guess we're all stuck here, huh?
- Oh well, guess I'm
hitting the beach.
Wanna come?
- Oh, yeah.
- I have a sneaking suspicion
that we were set up.
[Jason chuckles]
- You really can't blame them
wanting to spend
Christmas together.
- Did you have anything
to do with this?
- No, no way.
- Okay.
Well, then we'll just have
to make the best of it.
- [Jason] Well, what
else can we do?
- Although, nothing's changed.
We'll still do our separate
things with the kids.
- Sure.
No problem.
You go your way,
and I'll go mine.
- Exactly.
Agreed?
[playful orchestral music]
But I get the master bedroom.
[upbeat music]
[Melissa giggles]
- Okay, okay, Melissa,
right here, right here!
Woo!
- Yeah!
[Melissa laughs]
[man clears his throat]
- Miss Vicky!
- Rico!
- Hey, you look good!
Very good energy.
[Victoria laughs]
- And you look the same as you
have for the last 20 years.
Don't you ever age?
- I gave it good consideration,
but I decided against it.
[Victoria laughs]
- I am sorry we didn't let
you know we were coming
ahead of time, but the
place looks beautiful.
You're still the best
caretaker on the beach.
- Aw, thank you.
I pretty much take care of
this whole stretch myself.
- Woo!
- Yeah!
[Melissa laughs]
- Yours?
My, they are so big now.
[sighs] I remember
them as little babies.
- They're definitely older.
And more devious.
[Rico chuckles]
Rico, you should know,
Jason and I are separated now.
- Oh.
[melancholic orchestral music]
That's not good, that's
not good news at all.
- It's an adjustment,
for all of us.
Especially the kids.
- Something happened?
Did...
Never mind.
It's not my business.
- It's okay.
The truth is, it
isn't any one thing.
I guess we both just changed.
[sighs]
The Jason I married--
- Come on, Will.
- Disappeared a long time ago.
- Change?
Yes, change is often difficult.
Take a look at this beach.
It's changed so much
since I've been here.
- And yet it still
maintains its magic.
Jason and I weren't so lucky.
- Yeah!
- Nice one, Dad.
[Will laughs]
- So how about you, have
you been working hard?
- Let's go see your
mom up here, okay?
- Okay, Will, come on.
- Yeah, throw, come on!
- Ah.
- Ah, Mr. Jason.
- [laughs] Hey, Rico.
- Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas to you too.
- To you and your family.
You know, you must come
to my Christmas Day party.
You've never seen my
house, you must come.
Many people from this side
of the beach will be there.
- Well that sounds
great, we'd love to.
- Excellent, I will
leave directions for you.
I trust that you will
enjoy your vacation here.
Perhaps, you can find
some magic of your own.
- [Jason] You told
him, didn't you?
- Tell him what?
- About us.
- It's not a secret.
- You haven't even changed
into your bathing suit yet.
- Well, that was your
time with the kids.
- We always go to
the beach together.
- Jason.
We talked about this.
- Look, look.
If you're not gonna
try to patch things up,
then what are we even doing?
- I am not here to
patch things up.
Look, we'll make this as
nice as we can for the kids,
because God knows I don't wanna
make it any more difficult
for them than it's already been.
But just because we're out
here in the middle of paradise
doesn't mean that anything's
changed between us.
- Well, what are you saying?
Are you saying that it's over?
- Jason.
That's what I've been
telling you for months.
You just haven't heard me.
I'm gonna go up to the
farmers market and stock up.
[children talking
over each other]
[upbeat music]
[background chatter]
- [Man] Hi.
- Hi, may I have these
and three oranges, please?
- [Man] Sure, I'll put
them in a bag for you.
- Thank you.
Myles, hey.
- Hey there.
- You made it.
- I caught the red
eye last night.
- Oh, that's great.
- Well what do you think?
- It's beautiful.
- [Myles] Yeah.
- I've never had
Christmas at the beach.
- [chuckles] Well, you
can't exactly cozy up
to a warm fireplace, but
the sunsets are spectacular.
Speaking of which,
would you like to join me
for a drink at the Paterson?
- Oh, I don't know.
Kids are back at the
beach house, and--
- Come on, Vicky.
For the first time
in a long time,
you're your own woman.
It's okay to do something
you want to do for a change.
- Do they make
Christmas Mai Tais?
[Myles chuckles]
- I believe they do.
[Victoria giggles]
- Well, then.
- How do you think it's going?
- I can't tell, but
this should help.
We've gotta get the two
of them back up there.
- What for?
- [Melissa] For this.
- Yuck!
- Trust me, okay?
- Hey, guys?
Melissa, Will?
- We're in here, Dad.
- Hey, guys.
What do you say we head into
town and see if we can find
your mom and maybe have a little
dinner, all of us together?
Does that sound like fun?
- Sure.
- Great!
- Well, then let's do it.
[upbeat music]
- And Markowitz started
chasing after the building
inspector's car, he was
determined to drag him back or,
I don't know, kidnap
him or something,
anything to get the
certificate of occupancy.
- He actually chased him down?
- Yes, he grabbed hold
of the guy's car door,
and he was yanking on it,
screaming in the guy's face.
- He must have thought
that Markowitz was crazy.
- But he was crazy.
I mean, that's what building
a house will do to you.
- So what happened?
- Well, the building
inspector zoomed off and,
and actually, the very next day,
we had our certificate
of occupancy.
- Oh, I'm gonna have to
remember that strategy.
- Well, I wouldn't recommend
it, but it is very effective.
You should laugh more.
It makes your eyes sparkle.
I'm glad you came.
I'm used to being alone.
That happens all the
time, but you know,
Christmas, it can be
a little tougher.
[Victoria clears her throat]
- You should know that
Jason is here, and Melissa.
We're all here.
- Oh, I'm sorry, I thought...
- It happened accidentally.
Nothing's changed.
- Well, I don't want to get
in the middle of anything but,
like I said to you in the
office, don't sell yourself
short.
You're an amazing woman.
- Doesn't always feel that way.
- Well, I find that if I
have a few sips of Mai Tai,
then I feel wonderfully
fantastic about myself.
[Victoria giggles]
- [Jason] I love this place.
- Yeah, I remember when we
came here, it was really good.
- You hungry, huh?
- Yeah.
- Totally starving.
- [Will] Dad, are you
goin' in or what?
- Um...
You know, I'm not feeling
the burger thing anymore.
Let's go find that
fish joint, huh?
- Do they have fish burgers?
- [Jason] Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yeah, I thought
that lobster claw
was gonna come up and
pinch you to death!
- Yeah, yeah, pinch you.
- [Jason] Yeah, but she
ate the whole thing.
- [Melissa] Yeah, right.
Great job, Will, way to go.
- It was pretty good.
- Hey, guys.
- Hey, Mom, where were you?
- Yeah, we looked all over town.
- Yeah, Vic, we couldn't
imagine where you'd gone to.
- I ran into Myles, so we
started talking business.
- Well, we certainly missed you.
We had a wonderful dinner
together, didn't we?
- I'm glad you enjoyed
your time with the kids.
- Yes, while you were
stuck with Myles.
You're becoming quite the
career woman, aren't you?
- I'm sorry I missed it.
It sounds like it was fun.
- Hey, maybe we can all
go for a hike tomorrow.
Up to the ranch or
something, maybe?
- That sounds nice, I haven't
been to the ranch in ages.
- Well, are you sure you can
tear yourself away from Myles?
Oh, I mean, uh, work.
- It's really sweet of you to
be concerned, Jason, but um,
I think I'm all
caught up, thanks.
- I love you kids.
[sighs]
[melancholic orchestral music]
[Rico laughs]
- It was so nice of
my parents to give us
their house for our honeymoon.
- [chuckles] I have a
feeling that you will
make many happy memories here.
- [chuckles] Starting tonight.
- Shh!
[Rico laughs]
- Thanks, Rico.
[laughs]
- Vic.
Someday when I make partner,
we'll be able to afford a house
just like this, of our very own.
- And I'm gonna design it, we
can make it like those houses
we like in Key West
with the arches.
- Anything you design
will be beautiful.
- Yeah and you're gonna
be the youngest lawyer
to make partner.
- I will.
- No doubt.
- You watch.
- Mm-hm.
- Come on, Dad.
- I got some work to do,
you guys go have some fun.
- Dad, we're all
supposed to go together.
- I'll see you when
you get back, okay?
- Come on, guys, great
day for a bike ride.
[peaceful orchestral music]
Helmet!
[Jason sighs]
[Jason chuckles]
Wow, look at how
green it is up here.
It's so beautiful.
Hey, Will, do you
remember coming here?
Hey, Melissa, stop.
The trail's up there, isn't
that where you wanted to go?
- No.
- I thought--
- Well I don't, okay?
Can we just ride?
[Victoria chuckles]
- Promise me you'll
never become a teenager.
- One more year.
- Great.
[festive orchestral music]
- [Will] I win, I win!
- You cheated.
- Loser.
- Hey, Vicky!
- Oh!
Hey!
I'll be right there, guys.
[Jason laughs]
- Hey, Dad, you keep busy?
- Yeah, yeah, I did.
- It just doesn't seem right,
jogging on the beach two
days before Christmas.
Where's the snow?
- I wouldn't trade
it for anything.
This is the life.
Looks like you've been getting
a little exercise yourself.
- Oh yeah, we rode up
to the point and back.
Keeping up with a
12-year-old is hard work.
- Listen, I don't know
if you've got any plans
while you're here, but...
The Carrolls and Bob Perkins
are coming over for a cocktail
tonight and I was hoping
that you could join us.
- Oh, well you know,
I've got the kids and--
- You know the Carrolls
are talking about building
a house down in the Miami
and I thought it might be
something you'd
be interested in.
- Well, you know I'll draft
anything you need me to.
- Well, I was actually
thinking more in terms
of you helping to design it.
- Designing it?
Me?
- Oh, you know, and
supervising the project.
I can't be everywhere.
But you know, if you're
busy, I understand.
- Well, I'm sure that I can
steal away for an hour or two.
- Great.
Well listen, I'll see
you around seven.
- Oh my goodness.
- Hey, Mom, isn't it great?
Dad decorated the whole place.
- Wow, you've been busy.
- Yeah.
- Lunch too?
- Just trying to
pull my own weight.
- It looks great.
- Enjoy it.
- Aren't you gonna eat?
- I already ate.
I think maybe I'll
go out for a walk.
[melancholic piano music]
Hey, Rico.
- Hi, Mr. Jason.
This is my friend Saul.
You care to join us?
- If you don't mind.
- More fishermen, more fish.
- Sure, grab a worm.
- Great.
[knocks]
- Ah, silent treatment.
[melancholic orchestral music]
I remember doing that to my mom.
- I just don't have
anything to say to you.
- Melissa.
I have tried to be honest with
you every step of the way.
Not treat you like a kid.
- Are you sleeping with Myles?
- What?
No.
Of course not.
- You've got like this really
girly flirty smile, "hey."
- I like Myles.
He treats me well,
he appreciates me.
And that makes me feel good.
But that's all.
- Dad was jealous.
- Well, a little jealousy
never hurt anyone.
I know that you were hoping
you would get us all out here
and everything would
go back to normal.
But I don't wanna go back.
I wanna move forward.
And I'm not sure your
dad is up for that.
Hey, you wanna go for
a walk or something?
Maybe down to the cove?
- Sure.
- Great.
Do you wanna come with us?
- No, I'm just gonna hang out.
- Alright.
Well, you know where we'll
be if you change your mind.
[phone rings]
[Melissa sighs]
- Hey, Kristine, Dad's
not here right now.
But he promised no
work over the holiday.
Yeah, I'll tell him.
[sighs]
[playful orchestral music]
A little jealousy
never hurt anyone.
- Oh, yeah!
Come on, baby, come on! [laughs]
- Hey hey, not so hard!
You must be gentle,
like with a woman.
- Yeah.
No, I know what I'm doing here.
- Finesse, a little finesse.
- Oh yeah, come on, baby!
Come on!
[screams]
- You know, that's really good.
You've gotta teach
us that technique.
- We'd get a lot of
women like that.
- Yeah.
[sighs]
[melancholic orchestral music]
This was fun.
This was lots of fun.
Great day.
- Great day, sure was.
- Yeah.
Mr. Jason.
I was very sorry to hear
about you and Miss Vicky.
- Yeah, well...
I don't get it.
My wife and I are separated.
- Oh, sorry to hear that.
If you ask me, women are
impossible to understand.
[Rico chuckles]
- Women aren't so difficult.
All they need is a
little respect, huh?
Kindness, and a
whole lotta love.
- I wish it was that easy.
I don't know, things just, um...
Changed, that's all.
The girl I feel in love with,
she's gone.
- How long you married?
- 15 years.
[Saul laughs]
- That's longer than my first
and second wife combined.
- The girl you fell in
love with, she may be gone,
but the girl you
share a life with,
ah, she may be even better.
- I think it might be too late.
- No, it's never too late.
- Jewelry.
That's the answer.
Why do you think I work so hard?
- He owns a jewelry store.
[Jason laughs]
- I'm telling you, if it
wasn't for the gifts I lavished
on her, my third wife would
have left me years earlier.
- And she should have.
[Jason laughs]
- Oh.
Sorry, I didn't know
you were in here.
- It's okay, I'm almost done.
- You look great.
- Oh, you think so?
I, uh, didn't really
pack anything appropriate
for meeting clients.
- You're meeting clients?
- Looks like I might have a
shot at designing their house.
- [chuckles] Wow.
[warm orchestral music]
That's a pretty big
deal, designing a house.
- It's what I always
thought I'd be doing.
But I never got the
chance before now.
[sighs] If I don't blow it.
- Hey, Vicky.
Good luck.
- Thank you.
[thunder claps]
[festive orchestral music]
[thunder claps]
Okay, I'll see you later, guys.
- You're coming back, right?
- Of course I am, I'll be
back in a couple hours.
- Yeah, we'll see.
- Thanks for the support.
[thunder claps]
- Whoa, that's intense.
[thunder claps]
[rain splashes]
[Victoria screams]
[Victoria whines]
[thunder claps]
- Wow, kids, this looks like
it's gonna be a big one.
[Victoria moans and shivers]
[Will and Melissa chuckle]
[melancholic orchestral music]
- Would somebody
please get me a towel?
[thunder claps]
[Jason laughs]
It just keeps getting
better and better.
[Jason laughs]
Myles, hi, it's me.
I'm so sorry.
[sighs]
[muffled background chatter]
- Okay, Will, let's see it.
- There we go.
- What?
- That's not a word.
- [Will] It is too.
- [Melissa] Namer?
- [Will] Prince Namer
is the king of Atlantis.
- A superhero? You
can't use superheros.
- It's a word.
- Will, no names.
That's not allowed.
You wanna join us?
We have a spot.
- No.
It's okay.
- Come on, Mom, play with us.
- You might as well,
you're stuck here anyway.
[playful orchestral music]
- Okay.
I'm in.
- Seven letters and you're up.
- Hmm.
Let's see how I do.
Given my luck tonight,
I'll probably get X, Q.
[Will, Jason and Melissa laugh]
Oh.
You're all in big trouble.
[sighs] You'll be
sorry you asked me.
Okay.
[sighs]
[fire crackles]
Hey, Jason?
[melancholic orchestral music]
[Jason moans]
[Jason laughs]
[Jason grunts]
- Woo!
- Boy, it's a beautiful day.
Oh, look at that.
Sweetie, when we have kids,
I want them to grow
up coming here.
- Yes!
That'll be great.
Our boys out there on the
waves, learning how to surf.
- But they'll be girls.
Three of 'em, that way
we can gang up on you.
- Hey, as long as they're
half as wonderful as you are,
I don't care what they are.
One more, one more, one more.
- Okay.
- [Jason] Beautiful, beautiful!
- Alright, get over
here, behind me.
[Jason laughs]
[both chuckle]
[Victoria sniffs]
[melancholic orchestral music]
There you are.
- Hey.
Good morning to you.
- You're awfully
peppy this morning.
- I thought I'd take a run.
We used to take one
every morning, remember?
- I especially remember
what we used to do
when we got back from
most of those runs.
[warm piano music]
- The kids have been
bugging me to take them
to that horse farm.
I was thinking maybe we
could do that together,
if that's okay with you?
- Sure.
That would be nice.
It is Christmas Eve after
all, we should have some fun.
[horse neighs]
[Victoria and children giggle]
- Beautiful day, huh?
- Oh, how beautiful.
[phone rings]
[sighs]
It's Myles.
- There is just no getting
away from work with you, huh?
- I'll let it go to voicemail.
- Well, that's if he could stand
being away from you
for a couple hours.
- Jason, I've told
you, it's just work.
- That's what Myles
tells you it is.
- Is this really gonna work?
- I hope so.
But just in case.
- If you would listen to me--
- [Jason] No, no, no,
I do listen to you.
- That's Dad's.
- Duh.
- What are you doing?
- Giving Mom something
to think about.
- You don't wanna
go there with me.
- Fine.
Fine, why don't we
just all go back, huh?
Why don't we just all leave?
- Fine.
But I'll tell you
something, I'm not...
[screams]
- Mom!
- Oh my god!
[horse neighs]
Oh my!
- Vic!
[Victoria screams]
- Oh my god!
- [Jason] Let me help
you get outta there.
[Victoria yelps]
[horse neighs]
[Victoria screams]
- [laughs] Honey, are you okay?
- No, don't touch me
and no, I'm not okay!
- Are you both hurt?
- [laughs] We're fine, kids.
We're fine.
- I'm going home.
Come on, kids.
[horse neighs]
- Well, well, thank you!
[laughs]
- [Rancher] See you next time!
- [Jason] Well, it
was a real fun day!
Wasn't that fun, kids?
[horse neighs]
- [Melissa] Oh, Mom, it was
just water, get over it.
- [Will] It was so cool.
- [Victoria] What a great way
to spend Christmas Eve, huh?
- Well, sweetie,
look at it this way.
We don't have to
take a bath today.
If you think about it,
it's really kinda funny.
- No, it wasn't.
- Oh, hey, I made it.
I'm sorry.
Hi.
- Kristine?
- What is she doing here?
- I don't know.
- Your emails.
You said we'd go for a
swim before we worked.
- What?
- Oh.
I'm sure you'll
have a great time.
- Oh.
- [Jason] Kristine,
why are you here?
- The Bronski case,
the new trial date.
You told me to bring
the files out here.
- I have no idea what
you're talking about.
- But I left you a message,
and then you emailed me.
[playful orchestral music]
- What have you done?
[knocks]
- Yeah?
[peaceful piano music]
- I'm sorry about that
down there, I didn't, uh...
- Doesn't matter.
- Something's come up
on the Bronski case
that I have to deal with, so...
We'll go into town,
I can work there.
- I can leave.
- No, I'll go.
Some Christmas, huh?
[phone rings]
[Victoria sighs]
[phone rings]
- Victoria Wright.
Hi, Myles.
Uh, sure, I could meet
you there at, say...
Three o'clock?
Great.
Tell them I look forward
to meeting them.
Bye.
[melancholic orchestral music]
- I'm sorry, I just
thought that if Mom thought
you were with someone else--
- Melissa.
Honey, I know, I know you.
You're a lot like me, you wanna,
control things, try
to make things happen
just the way you want
things to happen.
But with this,
you just gotta let it be.
- But--
- No, no buts about it.
This is between your mother
and me and we will work it out.
Just the two of us.
- But what if you don't?
- Well, then we're just
gonna have to all move on.
And we will love the both of you
just as much as we ever have.
That part will never change.
Yes.
Yes, next Monday would be fine.
Jack, listen, thank you.
You've really saved
our neck on this one.
Yeah, yeah.
I know, I know, I'm sorry to
bother you on Christmas Eve.
You have a great holiday.
[sighs]
- Crisis averted?
- Everything's taken care of.
- That's good.
I'm sorry about
before at the house.
- Oh, no, it's not your fault.
- Okay.
So, I thought you and your
wife weren't together?
- Well, we're not.
It's, um...
It's a whole messy
story, but uh,
the realization that we
came to is that it's over.
- That's a shame.
[chuckles] I thought
she'd forgiven you.
- Forgiven me?
[chuckles]
What did I ever do
that was wrong?
- Are you kidding?
You're impossible.
You don't listen, all you do
is yell "do this, do that!"
You even forgot your own kids.
I don't know how she put
up with you for this long.
I wouldn't have.
- But you don't understand
how much work it takes
to support a family.
- All I know is that
it is Christmas Eve,
and you are sitting
here calling attorneys.
What's the point in working
so hard to support a family,
if you don't ever
get to enjoy them?
- You know, you're not
nearly as nice as you act.
- Can you blame me?
I'm stuck with my boss
on Christmas Eve.
Can I go now?
- Merry Christmas!
- Oh.
Here she is.
Victoria Wright,
meet the Carrolls.
- Victoria, we have
heard so much about you.
- [Husband] Myles says you're
the best designer in his firm.
- Well, thank you very much,
it's a pleasure to meet you.
- Well, let's have
something special, shall we?
- Great.
[festive string music]
[background chatter]
- Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas to you too.
- Happy holidays.
- Sorry, we're closing.
Oh, uh...
Jason.
- Hey, Saul, I know you're
closing and everything, but--
- Ah, don't tell me.
You need something special.
- Yeah, I do.
I need something that,
I need something that says,
"forgive me, I've been a jerk."
Something that says,
"I don't wanna lose you and
what was I thinking and maybe
"we can work it out if you
just give me one more chance."
- That's all?
- Yeah.
- Okay dokey!
- This one?
- Oh, yeah.
- It's perfect.
Saul.
This time, I'm gonna
get it right.
- So, based on what Myles has
told me, I think we ought to
just go with the faux
finish in the master.
- Sounds pretty good to me.
- How's this one, sir?
- Oh yeah, that looks perfect.
Can we have it with our meal?
- I'll chill for you now, sir.
- I'll take care of this,
we'll see you at the table.
- Great.
- Thank you.
- Myles, I'm sorry, but I
think I'm gonna skip dinner.
- But it's going so well.
- I know and that's
great, it's just that,
it's Christmas Eve, and I
need to be with my family.
- Well, if that's
what you need to do.
You know...
To get ahead sometimes, Vicky,
you have to make
certain sacrifices.
[Jason sighs]
[peaceful orchestral music]
[Jason chuckles]
- Yes.
[keys jingle]
Hey.
- Hi.
- I, uh, needed to talk to you.
It seems like I've been, um...
You goin' somewhere?
- Oh, just coming back.
Myles called after you left.
- Oh.
- He wanted me to
meet the Carrolls,
about designing their house.
- Did it go well?
- I don't know.
We'll see.
- Mom, help!
- Melissa?
- It's Will!
We were riding on the
trails and, and...
- And what?
Where is he?
- I don't know, he split
off from me at some point,
and I went looking for him
and all I found was his bike!
- Okay, alright,
come on, come on.
Come on, let's take the car!
[suspenseful music]
Will!
- Will!
- Will!
- Will?
- You guys stay here.
Will!
Will!
Will!
- I swear I don't
know what happened.
- [Jason] Will!
- [Will] Daddy!
- I've found him!
I'm comin'.
I'm comin' to get you, sweetie.
Here's daddy.
- Do you have him?
- Are you okay?
- Yeah, yeah.
- Is he okay?
- Yeah!
Get this off you. [grunts]
Okay, come on.
Come on, let's go see mommy.
I got you, bud.
[warm orchestral music]
Okay, I got ya.
[Melissa sobs]
- It's okay.
It's all gonna be okay.
See? He's here.
He's here.
- Yes.
- Oh, my baby.
Let me see you.
Oh, you must have
been so scared.
- Sorry, Dad.
- What were you two thinking,
going off like that?
- Well, you were both
so busy working,
we just wanted to do something.
I'm sorry, I didn't mean it.
[melancholic orchestral music]
- Oh, sweetie.
Come here.
It's okay.
You didn't say anything wrong.
You're right.
So, we're all very clear?
Nobody takes off without Mom
and Dad knowing about it.
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
- Don't ever scare
us like that again.
- I'm fine.
- Mom?
I'm sorry, about everything.
- Melissa, you have
nothing to be sorry about.
I love you both so much.
More than you'll ever know.
Okay, go to sleep.
Presents in the morning.
- You were right.
- About what?
- This is the worst
Christmas ever.
[sighs]
[warm piano music]
- Quite a day.
- I just keep thinking, what if?
Look at us.
Kids.
It's weird, when I look at that,
I can remember it like
it was yesterday.
At the same time it seems
like it's a million years ago.
I don't even know
who that guy is.
- He's kinda cute.
- You think?
- I miss him.
- I'm sorry I haven't been
the kind of husband
you needed me to be.
- You know, you always
supported the family, Jason.
- But I didn't take care of you.
- It's not that simple.
It's really not about blame.
Which one of us is right and
which one of us is wrong.
We just grew apart.
- I can change.
You know, if...
If you need to work, I--
- It's not about work either.
Work was just something to do.
You know, work made me feel
really good about myself.
The real problem...
The real problem was that
you didn't love me anymore,
and when you stopped loving
me, I stopped loving me too.
I've been feeling really
good about myself again
for the last few months and
I don't wanna lose that.
Standing there today, the
thought of losing Will.
[Jason chuckles]
- I've never been so
scared in my life.
- The way we've
been acting lately,
it's just not fair to the kids.
Hearing us fight and not
knowing what's gonna happen.
And us being too busy for them.
- You're right.
You're right.
- So I think when we get home,
that we ought to make
the separation...
More formal.
More permanent.
- Is that what you believe
is right for the kids?
- I just...
I just think that we can't
keep doing this anymore.
It's too hard on everybody.
[festive orchestral music]
- Cool!
I saw this on TV!
[Victoria chuckles]
- Oh my god, Mom, it's gorgeous!
- I thought it looked like you.
- Dad, this one's from you.
Yes!
The Herculaneum action
figure I wanted.
Thanks, Dad.
- No problem, champ.
- Where does Rico live anyway?
- Oh, close to those trails up
in the hills outside of town.
I've never been there,
but he left directions.
- Who's gonna be there?
- He said lots of people.
Probably the locals
that work in town.
- Is he gonna give out presents?
- Haven't you gotten enough?
- You can never
have too much loot!
- [Victoria] There should
be a road right up here.
There, I think that's it.
- [Jason] Are you sure?
- [Victoria] That's
what it says.
- Whoa, this is where
our caretaker lives?
[Jason chuckles]
- Let's go.
[upbeat music]
[background chatter]
- Hey!
Who wants Christmas cheer?
- Mom, look at the flowers.
- I'll take that for you.
- Hey, Jason, you made it!
- Hey, Saul.
This is my family,
everybody, this is Saul.
He and I went fishing
together yesterday.
- It's a pleasure.
Hey, they just started a
limbo contest over there.
First prize, new iPod.
[Jason chuckles]
[Victoria gasps]
- Oh, iPod!
- Rico knows how to
throw a party, huh?
- This is really his place?
- [chuckles] You
didn't know, did ya?
All those places Rico takes
care of down on the beach,
by yours, most of them he owns.
He bought them years ago,
before they were worth much.
And look at him now.
Come on, he's cooking
up the salmon.
It's so delicious it'll drive
you meshuganah, come on.
[Victoria chuckles]
- Something else, huh?
- [Woman] Whoa, limbo!
- [Waitress] Would you
like an appetizer?
- On, no thanks.
[Rico sniffs]
- Ah, Miss Vicky! [chuckles]
You finally made it.
- Merry Christmas.
- Oh, and it shall
be. [chuckles]
- Nice little place
you have here.
- Oh, thank you.
A few wise investments
here and there,
and when the real estate
of California went zoop,
so did my bank
account. [chuckles]
- Why didn't you
ever say anything?
- I like being a caretaker,
Miss Vicky, it's what I do.
It's who I am.
And this, ah,
this is me too. [chuckles]
I rather like it, don't you?
- So, your perfect gift,
it did the trick?
- I don't know yet.
I haven't had a chance
to give it to her.
I just hope it's not too late.
- Oh, it's only too
late if you give up.
Three times I asked my
fourth wife to marry me.
Every time she said "no."
Did I give up?
No.
I did not.
- Well, what happened
to that one?
- Oh, she makes me the
happiest old man on the beach.
- [Will] Do you
have another plan?
- No more plans.
- What do you mean? We
have to do something.
- We gave it our best shot,
not much more we can do.
- Hello, hello! [laughs]
May I have your
attention, please.
I am going to make
a little speech.
Merry Christmas to everybody,
happy Hanukkah and,
[speaks foreign language] or
whatever you want to celebrate.
You know, this beach has been
my home for a very long time.
I've watched it grow and change
in ways that I could
never imagine.
Some are good, but some are bad
and difficult and disappointing.
But that's all it is, isn't it?
The yin, yang, with the good
and the bad, all hand in hand.
Now someone said to
me the other day that
living on the beach is
some kind of a magic.
But let me tell you, this
magic didn't just happen.
This magic is here
because we make it happen.
You know, we change and we grow,
but we are always
here to give it life.
To nurture the parts of
it that we love the most.
So, ladies and gentlemen,
I wanna make a toast
to all of you.
All of you who love this
beach as much as I do.
And because of you,
there is magic here.
[speaks foreign language]
That means "all Chinese
are very long-winded."
[guests laugh]
- Cheers, cheers!
- Do you like that? [laughs]
Oh, now please, last thing, eat.
Everybody eat, I hate
leftovers, okay?
Music!
[guests applaud and cheer]
[upbeat music]
- Hey, Vicky.
I was wondering
if you'd be here.
- Myles.
- [Myles] Look, I feel
really bad about the way
things ended last
night, no, I mean it.
I just, I may have been
a bit hasty in the things
that I said and I just, please,
please, I just wanted to--
- Myles, excuse
me, I have to go.
- But, I--
- And just so we're clear,
I wanna be a designer,
and I'm going to be
a damn good one.
And I'm even willing
to make sacrifices,
if that's what it takes.
But my family won't
be one of them.
Not ever.
- What's going on?
- I don't know,
but it looks bad.
- Jason?
[sighs]
[melancholic piano music]
Jason.
I want it all.
I wanna have a family
and I wanna do something
that I really care about
that challenges me.
And I wanna spend my life
with the man that I love.
Is that too much to hope for?
- No.
- I'm sorry if it seems selfish,
but I do, I want it all.
- You deserve it all.
[Victoria chuckles]
[warm orchestral music]
[Victoria and Jason chuckle]
- I'm the luckiest
person in the world.
- Second luckiest.
[Jason and Victoria chuckle]
- Oh.
Did you see that?
Come here.
- I love you so much, Melissa.
[chuckles]
[upbeat music]
- This is so great.
- It's weird, none of
this would have happened
if the vacation rental
hadn't gotten canceled.
- Yeah.
About that.
You see, they didn't
exactly cancel on their own.
- You little sneak!
And you think I'm devious.
- We're raising monsters.
I can't believe you.
Well, I had a suspicion.
- Vicky.
The Carrolls are here, you
should come and say hello.
- Oh.
- Well I mean, if you're gonna
be designing their new house,
you wanna get to know them
a little better, right?
Bring Jason and the kids along.
Come on, I'm sure they'd
love to meet them.
[Victoria laughs]
- [Victoria] Hey.
- Yeah.
[bright orchestral music]
[Victoria and Jason chuckle]
[peaceful orchestral music]
[festive orchestral music]
- No, no, I'll be back
in right after lunch.
You'll have the drafts on
your desk by four o'clock.
No, that's my other line.
Listen, just tell Myles
that he'll have them.
Victoria Wright.
- Evidently our property
taxes weren't paid.
- Hello to you too, Jason.
- According to this, we owe
some kind of a penalty now.
[chuckles] Lucky us.
- Well, did you pay it?
- You take care of these things.
- But I'm not living
in the house anymore,
so obviously I am not
going to be keeping track
of these things anymore, am I?
- [Jason] Then why
don't you, I don't know,
make a list or something?
- [Victoria] Jason, you're
the one who insisted
on staying in the house.
- I don't know why I'm
expected to leave the house
when you're having some
kind of a mid-life crisis!
Or something.
- I'm getting Will the
Herculaneum action figure he
wanted.
- [sighs] Her-what?
What are you talking about?
- Christmas, the kids.
Try not to forget that too.
- This is...
This is really not
working for me, Vic.
This has been going on
since last Christmas.
How long do you think this
separation thing is gonna last?
- I don't know.
- Well, I hope you figure
out whatever you need to
figure out soon, because the
rest of your family's lives
are falling apart.
[phone rings]
- Oh. [sighs]
Victoria Wright.
No.
No, I emailed those to the
building inspector this morning.
- Improving all my work?
- Oh.
Myles, no, of course not.
I was just doodling.
- Well, let me see.
You've widened the
hole by six inches.
That's a waste of space.
- Well, actually it's not.
It opens up the sight-line
in the living room,
giving it a better view
and it creates this extra
little area here for
another closet.
[Myles chuckles]
- You know, you're
really quite good.
- I feel it coming back, slowly.
- Now, don't sell
yourself short.
If you'd stuck at this, you'd
have your own firm by now.
- Uh, I finished the electrical
drafts that you wanted.
- You gave up a lot
for your family.
- Oh, speaking of family.
I've gotta pick up Will and
take him to karate class.
- A working mother's
life, not a moment's rest.
Well, I am going to
take your change,
and make it my own
brilliant idea.
- Brilliant?
- Don't let it go to your head.
[chuckles]
- And have Sullivan bring
all the cases dealing
with trademark--
- Okay but you actually--
- Who's that redhead
at paralegal?
Have her sent to my office.
- Got it.
- I want her to write up a
draft for the Simons case, too.
And what about that
call to Jack Sever?
Have we done that too?
- Excuse me!
- Kristine.
If you have something
to say, just say it.
- Your daughter, you're supposed
to pick her up from school.
- What time is it? Oh, no.
Not again, um, okay, give
this to Judge Murphy,
and explain I will review the
case tomorrow morning with him
but I'm sorry I missed and I
had to go pick up my daughter.
- Hey, Dad.
- Hey, honey, I'm sorry.
- It's no problem, Tracy's
mom dropped me off.
- [sighs] It's just...
We got tied up in this
deposition and I...
I blew it, sorry.
- This kinda stuff
never happened
when you and Mom were together.
- Yeah, tell her that.
- Come on, we're gonna be late.
Karate practice, in
like 15 minutes?
Seriously, Dad, don't
you remember anything?
Is he always like that?
- Always.
- [Jason] Hey, hey,
hey, hey, no teaming up.
[boys grunt]
- That's it, guys, keep those
hands up, keep those hands up.
Keep moving, keep
moving, keep moving.
- But I don't understand.
You mean we're not gonna
have Christmas together?
- We're gonna be together.
We're gonna drive up to grandma
and grandpa's a few days
before Christmas, we'll have
Christmas Eve dinner with them.
- And what about Dad?
- Well, on Christmas Day,
then we'll drive back down,
so you can be with your dad.
- Where will we do presents?
- Both places.
It'll be like having
two Christmases.
- I don't want Christmases.
I want one Christmas
like we always do.
- Tiger, I know this
isn't easy for any of us,
but it'll be
wonderful, I promise.
- Alright.
- Hey, Mom.
- Oh hi, honey.
Boy, you look cute.
- Thanks.
- I thought you forgot.
- Of course not.
Just got caught in
a little traffic.
How's the new job going?
- It feels good.
Myles is giving me more
to do all the time.
- Oh, Myles Kelly always
had a thing for you.
- What?
That's crazy.
- A husband knows.
Trust me.
You never notice how he just
happened to take his vacation
at the beach at the same
exact time that we always did?
- He owns a place there,
it was a coincidence.
- Once or twice
is a coincidence,
but he did it
practically every time.
- [Instructor] Arms out.
Bring down to you.
And bow.
- Myles has been a godsend,
he's taking a chance on me
when I haven't
worked in 15 years.
- Three guesses why.
- Don't start that again.
- What?
Tell me, what do you want, huh?
Do you want me to bring
home flowers occasionally?
Do you want me to take you out
on date night or something?
Fine.
I'll do it.
Just tell me what you want.
- I just, wanna
feel like me again.
- What am I supposed to
do with that information?
- I don't know, Jason,
I really don't.
It's not a trial,
it's not evidence.
[children and instructor grunt]
- People ask me why we separated
and I just look at them.
To tell the truth,
I have no idea.
- Which is exactly the
problem, because you have been
so busy working 90 hours a week,
that you didn't even
realize we had a problem!
- I work to pay for our
house, to pay for our cars,
to pay for everything
else, that was our deal.
I make the income, you take
care of running the house.
- Our deal?
And you wonder why I
needed time away from you.
- Mom, Dad!
Why don't you just
go on a TV show
so the whole world
could see you fight?
- Sorry.
- [Instructor] Let's go,
guys, come on, here we go.
And go one, two!
And go one, two!
- I gotta get going anyway.
You've got the kids
tonight, right?
And what do we do
about Christmas?
- Well, Melissa wants to go
on that Disney World trip
with Tracy's family, but I--
- I think that's a good idea.
- For her to be away
from us on Christmas?
- Come on, Vicky, we're not
really together anyway, are we?
You can't have it both ways.
- I thought you said
they'd work it out.
- Maybe I was wrong.
[festive orchestral music]
- Oh, no.
- What's wrong?
- Oh, it's just the beach house.
The family that was supposed
to rent it for Christmas week
just canceled on me.
- Maybe we could go.
- Oh, Tiger, we can't.
I've got way too much to do,
and we're driving up to
your grandmother's tomorrow.
Besides, there's nothing
Christmassy about the beach.
- [sighs] Melissa's getting
to go to Disney World,
and I'm not getting
to do anything.
- Honey, I know--
- This is gonna be the
worst Christmas ever.
- Would you like
to yell at me now?
- Why bother?
Everybody else is doing
such a good job.
- Is that the wedding album?
[warm orchestral music]
- I forgot you and Dad
spent your honeymoon
at the beach house.
- Your grandparents bought
that house back in the fifties,
before you had to be a
multi-millionaire to own
beach-front property
in California.
And then, when your
dad made partner,
they gave it to us.
We renovated it, of course,
but it was worth it.
Started renting it out,
with the hopes that the
money would go towards
starting my own design firm.
Well, you know what
happened to that.
- But you guys took us
down there every summer.
Even when I was little,
I remember going.
- Yeah, we certainly had
some very good times there.
- So, what happened, Mom?
Were you really that
unhappy with Dad?
- No, Melissa, I wasn't happy.
But I promise you, it had
nothing to do with you
or your brother.
- But now it's like you're
this whole other person.
You're working all the time.
- It's a little
overwhelming for me too.
But I like it.
I mean, for the
first time in ages,
I don't feel like I'm a piece
of furniture that people just
pass by as they go
about their lives.
- Dad wants you to come
back, he told me so.
- Your father wants
someone to cook and clean,
and pay the bills and
pick up the kids.
Honestly, if he just
got a good housekeeper,
he wouldn't even miss me.
- Mom.
- I wish it weren't true.
I'm gonna go check
on your brother.
[playful orchestral music]
- Your daughter's on the phone.
I told her you were
getting ready for court,
but she says it's
really important.
- Alright, I have a
few moments, thanks.
Hey, sweetie.
I thought you were on your
way down to Disney World.
- Tracy's family can't
go on the trip.
Tracy got really sick.
- Oh, that's terrible.
- And Mom and Will already
left for grandma's, so,
now I have nothing
to do for Christmas.
[suspenseful music]
- Hey, hey, hey, you're
not gonna believe this,
but our beach rental
just fell out.
- You're kidding.
- Hey, how about we
head down there?
- That sounds great.
- Well, I'll have
Kristine book the flights,
and I'll call and tell your mom.
- Oh, that's Mom beeping
through on my line now.
I'll tell her.
- Terrific.
Hey, Melissa?
We're gonna have fun.
- We're gonna get in so
much trouble for this.
- Desperate times call
for desperate measures.
Your turn.
- Hey, Grandpa?
It's Will.
Yeah, listen, about that.
I was wondering if you could
do Melissa and me a favor?
- Why haven't you gone
for Christmas yet?
- We're leaving in an hour.
I just wanted to get the
Anderson schematics out
before the holiday.
- All work and no play.
- So I've heard.
[phone rings]
Victoria Wright.
- Mom?
- Hey, Tiger.
I'll be home in 15 minutes.
- Mom, we can't go.
- [Victoria] Of
course we can go.
- [Will] Grandpa just called,
he said they both got some
kind of flu and could we
maybe go up next week instead?
- What else could go wrong?
Alright, let me call them
and see what I can do.
- Oh, Mom, I was thinking,
couldn't we just go to the
beach house, the two of us?
- I don't know.
- Hey, why don't you go?
I'm gonna be up there
for Christmas too.
- Who's that?
- Myles.
- Come on, it'd be fun.
- Mom, please.
- I don't know.
- Come on, as Elvis would say,
it'll be a blue
Christmas without you.
[Victoria chuckles]
- Okay, I guess
we're going to have
a beach Christmas this year.
- Great.
- Yes!
[upbeat music]
♪ Well it's a
California Christmas ♪
♪ And it's the best
time of the year ♪
♪ Put away your boots
and your big snow suits ♪
♪ 'Cause you won't
need them here ♪
♪ Pack up all the surfboards
and get ready to go ♪
♪ You can wear your sandals
'cause it never snows ♪
- Wow.
I always forget how
beautiful it is.
- There's not all the crowds
like there usually are
in the summer.
- You know, this is
the way it looked
when we first came here.
- Your honeymoon?
- Yeah.
- Dad!
No work.
- I was just checking
my messages.
- You promised.
- Yeah.
Yeah, you're right,
I should just...
Relax and unwind and...
Spend some amazing
one-on-one time
with my favorite teenager.
[chuckles]
Wanna catch some waves?
- Absolutely!
[Jason chuckles]
- You're on.
[upbeat music]
Ah, welcome to your
Christmas break.
- I'm gonna go get my suit on.
- Okay.
Ah!
Place looks good!
Sweetie, do you remember
where we keep the towels?
- Uh yeah, I'll get 'em.
- Okay, I'll meet you
downstairs in what, 15 minutes?
- Sounds good.
- Yeah.
- Well, here we are.
Oh, Rico must be here.
I should have called him
to tell him we were coming.
I feel kind of bad
being on vacation
when your grandparents
are so sick.
- You called them, right?
- Oh, yeah.
They didn't sound sick
to me, but according to
your grandfather, they're
both really contagious.
So, it won't be exactly
what we planned,
but we should have
a great Christmas.
- [Will] Uh-huh.
- Rico?
Hello?
Oh.
[gasps]
[Jason yelps]
[playful orchestral music]
- What are you doing here?
- What are you doing here?
- There was a cancellation.
- I know, I got it,
but I thought--
- I thought you were
at your parents'.
- They're sick.
- Hi, Mom.
- You're supposed
to be in Orlando.
- Tracy's family
canceled the trip.
- Don't tell me,
someone got sick.
- Well, uh, how about that?
Guess we're all stuck here, huh?
- Oh well, guess I'm
hitting the beach.
Wanna come?
- Oh, yeah.
- I have a sneaking suspicion
that we were set up.
[Jason chuckles]
- You really can't blame them
wanting to spend
Christmas together.
- Did you have anything
to do with this?
- No, no way.
- Okay.
Well, then we'll just have
to make the best of it.
- [Jason] Well, what
else can we do?
- Although, nothing's changed.
We'll still do our separate
things with the kids.
- Sure.
No problem.
You go your way,
and I'll go mine.
- Exactly.
Agreed?
[playful orchestral music]
But I get the master bedroom.
[upbeat music]
[Melissa giggles]
- Okay, okay, Melissa,
right here, right here!
Woo!
- Yeah!
[Melissa laughs]
[man clears his throat]
- Miss Vicky!
- Rico!
- Hey, you look good!
Very good energy.
[Victoria laughs]
- And you look the same as you
have for the last 20 years.
Don't you ever age?
- I gave it good consideration,
but I decided against it.
[Victoria laughs]
- I am sorry we didn't let
you know we were coming
ahead of time, but the
place looks beautiful.
You're still the best
caretaker on the beach.
- Aw, thank you.
I pretty much take care of
this whole stretch myself.
- Woo!
- Yeah!
[Melissa laughs]
- Yours?
My, they are so big now.
[sighs] I remember
them as little babies.
- They're definitely older.
And more devious.
[Rico chuckles]
Rico, you should know,
Jason and I are separated now.
- Oh.
[melancholic orchestral music]
That's not good, that's
not good news at all.
- It's an adjustment,
for all of us.
Especially the kids.
- Something happened?
Did...
Never mind.
It's not my business.
- It's okay.
The truth is, it
isn't any one thing.
I guess we both just changed.
[sighs]
The Jason I married--
- Come on, Will.
- Disappeared a long time ago.
- Change?
Yes, change is often difficult.
Take a look at this beach.
It's changed so much
since I've been here.
- And yet it still
maintains its magic.
Jason and I weren't so lucky.
- Yeah!
- Nice one, Dad.
[Will laughs]
- So how about you, have
you been working hard?
- Let's go see your
mom up here, okay?
- Okay, Will, come on.
- Yeah, throw, come on!
- Ah.
- Ah, Mr. Jason.
- [laughs] Hey, Rico.
- Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas to you too.
- To you and your family.
You know, you must come
to my Christmas Day party.
You've never seen my
house, you must come.
Many people from this side
of the beach will be there.
- Well that sounds
great, we'd love to.
- Excellent, I will
leave directions for you.
I trust that you will
enjoy your vacation here.
Perhaps, you can find
some magic of your own.
- [Jason] You told
him, didn't you?
- Tell him what?
- About us.
- It's not a secret.
- You haven't even changed
into your bathing suit yet.
- Well, that was your
time with the kids.
- We always go to
the beach together.
- Jason.
We talked about this.
- Look, look.
If you're not gonna
try to patch things up,
then what are we even doing?
- I am not here to
patch things up.
Look, we'll make this as
nice as we can for the kids,
because God knows I don't wanna
make it any more difficult
for them than it's already been.
But just because we're out
here in the middle of paradise
doesn't mean that anything's
changed between us.
- Well, what are you saying?
Are you saying that it's over?
- Jason.
That's what I've been
telling you for months.
You just haven't heard me.
I'm gonna go up to the
farmers market and stock up.
[children talking
over each other]
[upbeat music]
[background chatter]
- [Man] Hi.
- Hi, may I have these
and three oranges, please?
- [Man] Sure, I'll put
them in a bag for you.
- Thank you.
Myles, hey.
- Hey there.
- You made it.
- I caught the red
eye last night.
- Oh, that's great.
- Well what do you think?
- It's beautiful.
- [Myles] Yeah.
- I've never had
Christmas at the beach.
- [chuckles] Well, you
can't exactly cozy up
to a warm fireplace, but
the sunsets are spectacular.
Speaking of which,
would you like to join me
for a drink at the Paterson?
- Oh, I don't know.
Kids are back at the
beach house, and--
- Come on, Vicky.
For the first time
in a long time,
you're your own woman.
It's okay to do something
you want to do for a change.
- Do they make
Christmas Mai Tais?
[Myles chuckles]
- I believe they do.
[Victoria giggles]
- Well, then.
- How do you think it's going?
- I can't tell, but
this should help.
We've gotta get the two
of them back up there.
- What for?
- [Melissa] For this.
- Yuck!
- Trust me, okay?
- Hey, guys?
Melissa, Will?
- We're in here, Dad.
- Hey, guys.
What do you say we head into
town and see if we can find
your mom and maybe have a little
dinner, all of us together?
Does that sound like fun?
- Sure.
- Great!
- Well, then let's do it.
[upbeat music]
- And Markowitz started
chasing after the building
inspector's car, he was
determined to drag him back or,
I don't know, kidnap
him or something,
anything to get the
certificate of occupancy.
- He actually chased him down?
- Yes, he grabbed hold
of the guy's car door,
and he was yanking on it,
screaming in the guy's face.
- He must have thought
that Markowitz was crazy.
- But he was crazy.
I mean, that's what building
a house will do to you.
- So what happened?
- Well, the building
inspector zoomed off and,
and actually, the very next day,
we had our certificate
of occupancy.
- Oh, I'm gonna have to
remember that strategy.
- Well, I wouldn't recommend
it, but it is very effective.
You should laugh more.
It makes your eyes sparkle.
I'm glad you came.
I'm used to being alone.
That happens all the
time, but you know,
Christmas, it can be
a little tougher.
[Victoria clears her throat]
- You should know that
Jason is here, and Melissa.
We're all here.
- Oh, I'm sorry, I thought...
- It happened accidentally.
Nothing's changed.
- Well, I don't want to get
in the middle of anything but,
like I said to you in the
office, don't sell yourself
short.
You're an amazing woman.
- Doesn't always feel that way.
- Well, I find that if I
have a few sips of Mai Tai,
then I feel wonderfully
fantastic about myself.
[Victoria giggles]
- [Jason] I love this place.
- Yeah, I remember when we
came here, it was really good.
- You hungry, huh?
- Yeah.
- Totally starving.
- [Will] Dad, are you
goin' in or what?
- Um...
You know, I'm not feeling
the burger thing anymore.
Let's go find that
fish joint, huh?
- Do they have fish burgers?
- [Jason] Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yeah, I thought
that lobster claw
was gonna come up and
pinch you to death!
- Yeah, yeah, pinch you.
- [Jason] Yeah, but she
ate the whole thing.
- [Melissa] Yeah, right.
Great job, Will, way to go.
- It was pretty good.
- Hey, guys.
- Hey, Mom, where were you?
- Yeah, we looked all over town.
- Yeah, Vic, we couldn't
imagine where you'd gone to.
- I ran into Myles, so we
started talking business.
- Well, we certainly missed you.
We had a wonderful dinner
together, didn't we?
- I'm glad you enjoyed
your time with the kids.
- Yes, while you were
stuck with Myles.
You're becoming quite the
career woman, aren't you?
- I'm sorry I missed it.
It sounds like it was fun.
- Hey, maybe we can all
go for a hike tomorrow.
Up to the ranch or
something, maybe?
- That sounds nice, I haven't
been to the ranch in ages.
- Well, are you sure you can
tear yourself away from Myles?
Oh, I mean, uh, work.
- It's really sweet of you to
be concerned, Jason, but um,
I think I'm all
caught up, thanks.
- I love you kids.
[sighs]
[melancholic orchestral music]
[Rico laughs]
- It was so nice of
my parents to give us
their house for our honeymoon.
- [chuckles] I have a
feeling that you will
make many happy memories here.
- [chuckles] Starting tonight.
- Shh!
[Rico laughs]
- Thanks, Rico.
[laughs]
- Vic.
Someday when I make partner,
we'll be able to afford a house
just like this, of our very own.
- And I'm gonna design it, we
can make it like those houses
we like in Key West
with the arches.
- Anything you design
will be beautiful.
- Yeah and you're gonna
be the youngest lawyer
to make partner.
- I will.
- No doubt.
- You watch.
- Mm-hm.
- Come on, Dad.
- I got some work to do,
you guys go have some fun.
- Dad, we're all
supposed to go together.
- I'll see you when
you get back, okay?
- Come on, guys, great
day for a bike ride.
[peaceful orchestral music]
Helmet!
[Jason sighs]
[Jason chuckles]
Wow, look at how
green it is up here.
It's so beautiful.
Hey, Will, do you
remember coming here?
Hey, Melissa, stop.
The trail's up there, isn't
that where you wanted to go?
- No.
- I thought--
- Well I don't, okay?
Can we just ride?
[Victoria chuckles]
- Promise me you'll
never become a teenager.
- One more year.
- Great.
[festive orchestral music]
- [Will] I win, I win!
- You cheated.
- Loser.
- Hey, Vicky!
- Oh!
Hey!
I'll be right there, guys.
[Jason laughs]
- Hey, Dad, you keep busy?
- Yeah, yeah, I did.
- It just doesn't seem right,
jogging on the beach two
days before Christmas.
Where's the snow?
- I wouldn't trade
it for anything.
This is the life.
Looks like you've been getting
a little exercise yourself.
- Oh yeah, we rode up
to the point and back.
Keeping up with a
12-year-old is hard work.
- Listen, I don't know
if you've got any plans
while you're here, but...
The Carrolls and Bob Perkins
are coming over for a cocktail
tonight and I was hoping
that you could join us.
- Oh, well you know,
I've got the kids and--
- You know the Carrolls
are talking about building
a house down in the Miami
and I thought it might be
something you'd
be interested in.
- Well, you know I'll draft
anything you need me to.
- Well, I was actually
thinking more in terms
of you helping to design it.
- Designing it?
Me?
- Oh, you know, and
supervising the project.
I can't be everywhere.
But you know, if you're
busy, I understand.
- Well, I'm sure that I can
steal away for an hour or two.
- Great.
Well listen, I'll see
you around seven.
- Oh my goodness.
- Hey, Mom, isn't it great?
Dad decorated the whole place.
- Wow, you've been busy.
- Yeah.
- Lunch too?
- Just trying to
pull my own weight.
- It looks great.
- Enjoy it.
- Aren't you gonna eat?
- I already ate.
I think maybe I'll
go out for a walk.
[melancholic piano music]
Hey, Rico.
- Hi, Mr. Jason.
This is my friend Saul.
You care to join us?
- If you don't mind.
- More fishermen, more fish.
- Sure, grab a worm.
- Great.
[knocks]
- Ah, silent treatment.
[melancholic orchestral music]
I remember doing that to my mom.
- I just don't have
anything to say to you.
- Melissa.
I have tried to be honest with
you every step of the way.
Not treat you like a kid.
- Are you sleeping with Myles?
- What?
No.
Of course not.
- You've got like this really
girly flirty smile, "hey."
- I like Myles.
He treats me well,
he appreciates me.
And that makes me feel good.
But that's all.
- Dad was jealous.
- Well, a little jealousy
never hurt anyone.
I know that you were hoping
you would get us all out here
and everything would
go back to normal.
But I don't wanna go back.
I wanna move forward.
And I'm not sure your
dad is up for that.
Hey, you wanna go for
a walk or something?
Maybe down to the cove?
- Sure.
- Great.
Do you wanna come with us?
- No, I'm just gonna hang out.
- Alright.
Well, you know where we'll
be if you change your mind.
[phone rings]
[Melissa sighs]
- Hey, Kristine, Dad's
not here right now.
But he promised no
work over the holiday.
Yeah, I'll tell him.
[sighs]
[playful orchestral music]
A little jealousy
never hurt anyone.
- Oh, yeah!
Come on, baby, come on! [laughs]
- Hey hey, not so hard!
You must be gentle,
like with a woman.
- Yeah.
No, I know what I'm doing here.
- Finesse, a little finesse.
- Oh yeah, come on, baby!
Come on!
[screams]
- You know, that's really good.
You've gotta teach
us that technique.
- We'd get a lot of
women like that.
- Yeah.
[sighs]
[melancholic orchestral music]
This was fun.
This was lots of fun.
Great day.
- Great day, sure was.
- Yeah.
Mr. Jason.
I was very sorry to hear
about you and Miss Vicky.
- Yeah, well...
I don't get it.
My wife and I are separated.
- Oh, sorry to hear that.
If you ask me, women are
impossible to understand.
[Rico chuckles]
- Women aren't so difficult.
All they need is a
little respect, huh?
Kindness, and a
whole lotta love.
- I wish it was that easy.
I don't know, things just, um...
Changed, that's all.
The girl I feel in love with,
she's gone.
- How long you married?
- 15 years.
[Saul laughs]
- That's longer than my first
and second wife combined.
- The girl you fell in
love with, she may be gone,
but the girl you
share a life with,
ah, she may be even better.
- I think it might be too late.
- No, it's never too late.
- Jewelry.
That's the answer.
Why do you think I work so hard?
- He owns a jewelry store.
[Jason laughs]
- I'm telling you, if it
wasn't for the gifts I lavished
on her, my third wife would
have left me years earlier.
- And she should have.
[Jason laughs]
- Oh.
Sorry, I didn't know
you were in here.
- It's okay, I'm almost done.
- You look great.
- Oh, you think so?
I, uh, didn't really
pack anything appropriate
for meeting clients.
- You're meeting clients?
- Looks like I might have a
shot at designing their house.
- [chuckles] Wow.
[warm orchestral music]
That's a pretty big
deal, designing a house.
- It's what I always
thought I'd be doing.
But I never got the
chance before now.
[sighs] If I don't blow it.
- Hey, Vicky.
Good luck.
- Thank you.
[thunder claps]
[festive orchestral music]
[thunder claps]
Okay, I'll see you later, guys.
- You're coming back, right?
- Of course I am, I'll be
back in a couple hours.
- Yeah, we'll see.
- Thanks for the support.
[thunder claps]
- Whoa, that's intense.
[thunder claps]
[rain splashes]
[Victoria screams]
[Victoria whines]
[thunder claps]
- Wow, kids, this looks like
it's gonna be a big one.
[Victoria moans and shivers]
[Will and Melissa chuckle]
[melancholic orchestral music]
- Would somebody
please get me a towel?
[thunder claps]
[Jason laughs]
It just keeps getting
better and better.
[Jason laughs]
Myles, hi, it's me.
I'm so sorry.
[sighs]
[muffled background chatter]
- Okay, Will, let's see it.
- There we go.
- What?
- That's not a word.
- [Will] It is too.
- [Melissa] Namer?
- [Will] Prince Namer
is the king of Atlantis.
- A superhero? You
can't use superheros.
- It's a word.
- Will, no names.
That's not allowed.
You wanna join us?
We have a spot.
- No.
It's okay.
- Come on, Mom, play with us.
- You might as well,
you're stuck here anyway.
[playful orchestral music]
- Okay.
I'm in.
- Seven letters and you're up.
- Hmm.
Let's see how I do.
Given my luck tonight,
I'll probably get X, Q.
[Will, Jason and Melissa laugh]
Oh.
You're all in big trouble.
[sighs] You'll be
sorry you asked me.
Okay.
[sighs]
[fire crackles]
Hey, Jason?
[melancholic orchestral music]
[Jason moans]
[Jason laughs]
[Jason grunts]
- Woo!
- Boy, it's a beautiful day.
Oh, look at that.
Sweetie, when we have kids,
I want them to grow
up coming here.
- Yes!
That'll be great.
Our boys out there on the
waves, learning how to surf.
- But they'll be girls.
Three of 'em, that way
we can gang up on you.
- Hey, as long as they're
half as wonderful as you are,
I don't care what they are.
One more, one more, one more.
- Okay.
- [Jason] Beautiful, beautiful!
- Alright, get over
here, behind me.
[Jason laughs]
[both chuckle]
[Victoria sniffs]
[melancholic orchestral music]
There you are.
- Hey.
Good morning to you.
- You're awfully
peppy this morning.
- I thought I'd take a run.
We used to take one
every morning, remember?
- I especially remember
what we used to do
when we got back from
most of those runs.
[warm piano music]
- The kids have been
bugging me to take them
to that horse farm.
I was thinking maybe we
could do that together,
if that's okay with you?
- Sure.
That would be nice.
It is Christmas Eve after
all, we should have some fun.
[horse neighs]
[Victoria and children giggle]
- Beautiful day, huh?
- Oh, how beautiful.
[phone rings]
[sighs]
It's Myles.
- There is just no getting
away from work with you, huh?
- I'll let it go to voicemail.
- Well, that's if he could stand
being away from you
for a couple hours.
- Jason, I've told
you, it's just work.
- That's what Myles
tells you it is.
- Is this really gonna work?
- I hope so.
But just in case.
- If you would listen to me--
- [Jason] No, no, no,
I do listen to you.
- That's Dad's.
- Duh.
- What are you doing?
- Giving Mom something
to think about.
- You don't wanna
go there with me.
- Fine.
Fine, why don't we
just all go back, huh?
Why don't we just all leave?
- Fine.
But I'll tell you
something, I'm not...
[screams]
- Mom!
- Oh my god!
[horse neighs]
Oh my!
- Vic!
[Victoria screams]
- Oh my god!
- [Jason] Let me help
you get outta there.
[Victoria yelps]
[horse neighs]
[Victoria screams]
- [laughs] Honey, are you okay?
- No, don't touch me
and no, I'm not okay!
- Are you both hurt?
- [laughs] We're fine, kids.
We're fine.
- I'm going home.
Come on, kids.
[horse neighs]
- Well, well, thank you!
[laughs]
- [Rancher] See you next time!
- [Jason] Well, it
was a real fun day!
Wasn't that fun, kids?
[horse neighs]
- [Melissa] Oh, Mom, it was
just water, get over it.
- [Will] It was so cool.
- [Victoria] What a great way
to spend Christmas Eve, huh?
- Well, sweetie,
look at it this way.
We don't have to
take a bath today.
If you think about it,
it's really kinda funny.
- No, it wasn't.
- Oh, hey, I made it.
I'm sorry.
Hi.
- Kristine?
- What is she doing here?
- I don't know.
- Your emails.
You said we'd go for a
swim before we worked.
- What?
- Oh.
I'm sure you'll
have a great time.
- Oh.
- [Jason] Kristine,
why are you here?
- The Bronski case,
the new trial date.
You told me to bring
the files out here.
- I have no idea what
you're talking about.
- But I left you a message,
and then you emailed me.
[playful orchestral music]
- What have you done?
[knocks]
- Yeah?
[peaceful piano music]
- I'm sorry about that
down there, I didn't, uh...
- Doesn't matter.
- Something's come up
on the Bronski case
that I have to deal with, so...
We'll go into town,
I can work there.
- I can leave.
- No, I'll go.
Some Christmas, huh?
[phone rings]
[Victoria sighs]
[phone rings]
- Victoria Wright.
Hi, Myles.
Uh, sure, I could meet
you there at, say...
Three o'clock?
Great.
Tell them I look forward
to meeting them.
Bye.
[melancholic orchestral music]
- I'm sorry, I just
thought that if Mom thought
you were with someone else--
- Melissa.
Honey, I know, I know you.
You're a lot like me, you wanna,
control things, try
to make things happen
just the way you want
things to happen.
But with this,
you just gotta let it be.
- But--
- No, no buts about it.
This is between your mother
and me and we will work it out.
Just the two of us.
- But what if you don't?
- Well, then we're just
gonna have to all move on.
And we will love the both of you
just as much as we ever have.
That part will never change.
Yes.
Yes, next Monday would be fine.
Jack, listen, thank you.
You've really saved
our neck on this one.
Yeah, yeah.
I know, I know, I'm sorry to
bother you on Christmas Eve.
You have a great holiday.
[sighs]
- Crisis averted?
- Everything's taken care of.
- That's good.
I'm sorry about
before at the house.
- Oh, no, it's not your fault.
- Okay.
So, I thought you and your
wife weren't together?
- Well, we're not.
It's, um...
It's a whole messy
story, but uh,
the realization that we
came to is that it's over.
- That's a shame.
[chuckles] I thought
she'd forgiven you.
- Forgiven me?
[chuckles]
What did I ever do
that was wrong?
- Are you kidding?
You're impossible.
You don't listen, all you do
is yell "do this, do that!"
You even forgot your own kids.
I don't know how she put
up with you for this long.
I wouldn't have.
- But you don't understand
how much work it takes
to support a family.
- All I know is that
it is Christmas Eve,
and you are sitting
here calling attorneys.
What's the point in working
so hard to support a family,
if you don't ever
get to enjoy them?
- You know, you're not
nearly as nice as you act.
- Can you blame me?
I'm stuck with my boss
on Christmas Eve.
Can I go now?
- Merry Christmas!
- Oh.
Here she is.
Victoria Wright,
meet the Carrolls.
- Victoria, we have
heard so much about you.
- [Husband] Myles says you're
the best designer in his firm.
- Well, thank you very much,
it's a pleasure to meet you.
- Well, let's have
something special, shall we?
- Great.
[festive string music]
[background chatter]
- Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas to you too.
- Happy holidays.
- Sorry, we're closing.
Oh, uh...
Jason.
- Hey, Saul, I know you're
closing and everything, but--
- Ah, don't tell me.
You need something special.
- Yeah, I do.
I need something that,
I need something that says,
"forgive me, I've been a jerk."
Something that says,
"I don't wanna lose you and
what was I thinking and maybe
"we can work it out if you
just give me one more chance."
- That's all?
- Yeah.
- Okay dokey!
- This one?
- Oh, yeah.
- It's perfect.
Saul.
This time, I'm gonna
get it right.
- So, based on what Myles has
told me, I think we ought to
just go with the faux
finish in the master.
- Sounds pretty good to me.
- How's this one, sir?
- Oh yeah, that looks perfect.
Can we have it with our meal?
- I'll chill for you now, sir.
- I'll take care of this,
we'll see you at the table.
- Great.
- Thank you.
- Myles, I'm sorry, but I
think I'm gonna skip dinner.
- But it's going so well.
- I know and that's
great, it's just that,
it's Christmas Eve, and I
need to be with my family.
- Well, if that's
what you need to do.
You know...
To get ahead sometimes, Vicky,
you have to make
certain sacrifices.
[Jason sighs]
[peaceful orchestral music]
[Jason chuckles]
- Yes.
[keys jingle]
Hey.
- Hi.
- I, uh, needed to talk to you.
It seems like I've been, um...
You goin' somewhere?
- Oh, just coming back.
Myles called after you left.
- Oh.
- He wanted me to
meet the Carrolls,
about designing their house.
- Did it go well?
- I don't know.
We'll see.
- Mom, help!
- Melissa?
- It's Will!
We were riding on the
trails and, and...
- And what?
Where is he?
- I don't know, he split
off from me at some point,
and I went looking for him
and all I found was his bike!
- Okay, alright,
come on, come on.
Come on, let's take the car!
[suspenseful music]
Will!
- Will!
- Will!
- Will?
- You guys stay here.
Will!
Will!
Will!
- I swear I don't
know what happened.
- [Jason] Will!
- [Will] Daddy!
- I've found him!
I'm comin'.
I'm comin' to get you, sweetie.
Here's daddy.
- Do you have him?
- Are you okay?
- Yeah, yeah.
- Is he okay?
- Yeah!
Get this off you. [grunts]
Okay, come on.
Come on, let's go see mommy.
I got you, bud.
[warm orchestral music]
Okay, I got ya.
[Melissa sobs]
- It's okay.
It's all gonna be okay.
See? He's here.
He's here.
- Yes.
- Oh, my baby.
Let me see you.
Oh, you must have
been so scared.
- Sorry, Dad.
- What were you two thinking,
going off like that?
- Well, you were both
so busy working,
we just wanted to do something.
I'm sorry, I didn't mean it.
[melancholic orchestral music]
- Oh, sweetie.
Come here.
It's okay.
You didn't say anything wrong.
You're right.
So, we're all very clear?
Nobody takes off without Mom
and Dad knowing about it.
- Yeah.
- Yeah.
- Don't ever scare
us like that again.
- I'm fine.
- Mom?
I'm sorry, about everything.
- Melissa, you have
nothing to be sorry about.
I love you both so much.
More than you'll ever know.
Okay, go to sleep.
Presents in the morning.
- You were right.
- About what?
- This is the worst
Christmas ever.
[sighs]
[warm piano music]
- Quite a day.
- I just keep thinking, what if?
Look at us.
Kids.
It's weird, when I look at that,
I can remember it like
it was yesterday.
At the same time it seems
like it's a million years ago.
I don't even know
who that guy is.
- He's kinda cute.
- You think?
- I miss him.
- I'm sorry I haven't been
the kind of husband
you needed me to be.
- You know, you always
supported the family, Jason.
- But I didn't take care of you.
- It's not that simple.
It's really not about blame.
Which one of us is right and
which one of us is wrong.
We just grew apart.
- I can change.
You know, if...
If you need to work, I--
- It's not about work either.
Work was just something to do.
You know, work made me feel
really good about myself.
The real problem...
The real problem was that
you didn't love me anymore,
and when you stopped loving
me, I stopped loving me too.
I've been feeling really
good about myself again
for the last few months and
I don't wanna lose that.
Standing there today, the
thought of losing Will.
[Jason chuckles]
- I've never been so
scared in my life.
- The way we've
been acting lately,
it's just not fair to the kids.
Hearing us fight and not
knowing what's gonna happen.
And us being too busy for them.
- You're right.
You're right.
- So I think when we get home,
that we ought to make
the separation...
More formal.
More permanent.
- Is that what you believe
is right for the kids?
- I just...
I just think that we can't
keep doing this anymore.
It's too hard on everybody.
[festive orchestral music]
- Cool!
I saw this on TV!
[Victoria chuckles]
- Oh my god, Mom, it's gorgeous!
- I thought it looked like you.
- Dad, this one's from you.
Yes!
The Herculaneum action
figure I wanted.
Thanks, Dad.
- No problem, champ.
- Where does Rico live anyway?
- Oh, close to those trails up
in the hills outside of town.
I've never been there,
but he left directions.
- Who's gonna be there?
- He said lots of people.
Probably the locals
that work in town.
- Is he gonna give out presents?
- Haven't you gotten enough?
- You can never
have too much loot!
- [Victoria] There should
be a road right up here.
There, I think that's it.
- [Jason] Are you sure?
- [Victoria] That's
what it says.
- Whoa, this is where
our caretaker lives?
[Jason chuckles]
- Let's go.
[upbeat music]
[background chatter]
- Hey!
Who wants Christmas cheer?
- Mom, look at the flowers.
- I'll take that for you.
- Hey, Jason, you made it!
- Hey, Saul.
This is my family,
everybody, this is Saul.
He and I went fishing
together yesterday.
- It's a pleasure.
Hey, they just started a
limbo contest over there.
First prize, new iPod.
[Jason chuckles]
[Victoria gasps]
- Oh, iPod!
- Rico knows how to
throw a party, huh?
- This is really his place?
- [chuckles] You
didn't know, did ya?
All those places Rico takes
care of down on the beach,
by yours, most of them he owns.
He bought them years ago,
before they were worth much.
And look at him now.
Come on, he's cooking
up the salmon.
It's so delicious it'll drive
you meshuganah, come on.
[Victoria chuckles]
- Something else, huh?
- [Woman] Whoa, limbo!
- [Waitress] Would you
like an appetizer?
- On, no thanks.
[Rico sniffs]
- Ah, Miss Vicky! [chuckles]
You finally made it.
- Merry Christmas.
- Oh, and it shall
be. [chuckles]
- Nice little place
you have here.
- Oh, thank you.
A few wise investments
here and there,
and when the real estate
of California went zoop,
so did my bank
account. [chuckles]
- Why didn't you
ever say anything?
- I like being a caretaker,
Miss Vicky, it's what I do.
It's who I am.
And this, ah,
this is me too. [chuckles]
I rather like it, don't you?
- So, your perfect gift,
it did the trick?
- I don't know yet.
I haven't had a chance
to give it to her.
I just hope it's not too late.
- Oh, it's only too
late if you give up.
Three times I asked my
fourth wife to marry me.
Every time she said "no."
Did I give up?
No.
I did not.
- Well, what happened
to that one?
- Oh, she makes me the
happiest old man on the beach.
- [Will] Do you
have another plan?
- No more plans.
- What do you mean? We
have to do something.
- We gave it our best shot,
not much more we can do.
- Hello, hello! [laughs]
May I have your
attention, please.
I am going to make
a little speech.
Merry Christmas to everybody,
happy Hanukkah and,
[speaks foreign language] or
whatever you want to celebrate.
You know, this beach has been
my home for a very long time.
I've watched it grow and change
in ways that I could
never imagine.
Some are good, but some are bad
and difficult and disappointing.
But that's all it is, isn't it?
The yin, yang, with the good
and the bad, all hand in hand.
Now someone said to
me the other day that
living on the beach is
some kind of a magic.
But let me tell you, this
magic didn't just happen.
This magic is here
because we make it happen.
You know, we change and we grow,
but we are always
here to give it life.
To nurture the parts of
it that we love the most.
So, ladies and gentlemen,
I wanna make a toast
to all of you.
All of you who love this
beach as much as I do.
And because of you,
there is magic here.
[speaks foreign language]
That means "all Chinese
are very long-winded."
[guests laugh]
- Cheers, cheers!
- Do you like that? [laughs]
Oh, now please, last thing, eat.
Everybody eat, I hate
leftovers, okay?
Music!
[guests applaud and cheer]
[upbeat music]
- Hey, Vicky.
I was wondering
if you'd be here.
- Myles.
- [Myles] Look, I feel
really bad about the way
things ended last
night, no, I mean it.
I just, I may have been
a bit hasty in the things
that I said and I just, please,
please, I just wanted to--
- Myles, excuse
me, I have to go.
- But, I--
- And just so we're clear,
I wanna be a designer,
and I'm going to be
a damn good one.
And I'm even willing
to make sacrifices,
if that's what it takes.
But my family won't
be one of them.
Not ever.
- What's going on?
- I don't know,
but it looks bad.
- Jason?
[sighs]
[melancholic piano music]
Jason.
I want it all.
I wanna have a family
and I wanna do something
that I really care about
that challenges me.
And I wanna spend my life
with the man that I love.
Is that too much to hope for?
- No.
- I'm sorry if it seems selfish,
but I do, I want it all.
- You deserve it all.
[Victoria chuckles]
[warm orchestral music]
[Victoria and Jason chuckle]
- I'm the luckiest
person in the world.
- Second luckiest.
[Jason and Victoria chuckle]
- Oh.
Did you see that?
Come here.
- I love you so much, Melissa.
[chuckles]
[upbeat music]
- This is so great.
- It's weird, none of
this would have happened
if the vacation rental
hadn't gotten canceled.
- Yeah.
About that.
You see, they didn't
exactly cancel on their own.
- You little sneak!
And you think I'm devious.
- We're raising monsters.
I can't believe you.
Well, I had a suspicion.
- Vicky.
The Carrolls are here, you
should come and say hello.
- Oh.
- Well I mean, if you're gonna
be designing their new house,
you wanna get to know them
a little better, right?
Bring Jason and the kids along.
Come on, I'm sure they'd
love to meet them.
[Victoria laughs]
- [Victoria] Hey.
- Yeah.
[bright orchestral music]
[Victoria and Jason chuckle]
[peaceful orchestral music]