Party of Five (1994–2000): Season 3, Episode 13 - Christmas - full transcript

Okay. See these three guys?

They're the wise men.

They were kings who came
and brought presents.

Well, only not like GoBots.

They brought gold
and frankincense
and myrrh.

What's myrrh?

It's like, um...
wine or something.

It's a spice.
What's Baby Jesus
gonna do with wine?

Oh, yeah, but he's got
lots of uses for a spice.

I think I like
the other creche better.

You know, the one where
Joseph looks like Elvis?



Hey, what's this doing
in with the Christmas stuff?

-Isn't that Kirsten's?
-Yeah.

And these are her books
and her Harry Belafonte CDs.

All this stuff
is Kirsten's.

Hey, put that away.
The UPS guy's gonna be here
in, like, seven seconds.

Why are you
sending her stuff away?

Because it's hers,
and it should be in Chicago
where she is and not here

where she's not.

[tape tears]

Don't you think maybe
you should take your time
with this, Charlie?

I mean, what's the rush?

The rush is the UPS guy's
gonna be pissed off
if he has to wait.

Or even worse,
he'll just leave
without getting all this.

You know, maybe what you should
do instead of shoving her stuff
out the door is let yourself,



I don't know,

feel this.

[Julia] I mean, this is...
This is...

Sad.

Yes, it is sad.
But you know what?

It's also smart,

'Cause I'm never gonna
start over if I start every day

taking my toothbrush
from her toothbrush holder,

and end every night
setting her alarm clock.

[doorbell rings]

Tell him to wait two minutes.

I really think that maybe
you're doing this too fast,
Charlie.

Well, I'll tell you what.

You throw away the most
important thing

that you've ever had
in your life
and then we'll talk.

[Claudia] You're gonna
have to wait two minutes.

Grandpa?

[Jake] How's my little girl?
[Claudia] Great.

Oh.

Merry Christmas, kids.

I got a lot of stuff here.
So, uh, show me the way
to the tree.

[theme song playing]

♪ Everybody wants to live ♪

♪ Like they wanna live ♪

♪ And everybody wants to love ♪

♪ Like they wanna love ♪

♪ Everybody wants to be ♪

♪ Closer to free ♪

♪ Closer to free ♪

[Jake] What do you
mean, no tree?

[Julia] We wanted to go
get one in Charlie's truck,

but that would necessitate
Charlie actually being there.

And as you just saw,
he's pretty much
Mr. Disappearing Act these days.

Where did that guy
run off to so fast anyway?

[Claudia] The restaurant.

He pretty much spends
all of his time there now.

Why? He's not having
business problems, is he?

More like personal ones.

He had a pretty rough fall.

Kind of took the holiday
spirit out of him.

Oh.

Well, what about Bailey?

Ha. I can't even remember
the last time I saw Bailey.

[Julia] He's got
his own place now.

You know, college and all.
And, frankly, he's kind
of in a bad way too, so...

So the guys are in a funk,

and you two are just
gonna give up on Christmas.
That's it, huh?

Well, I mean, it's not like
we have much of a choice.

Even with the few
decorations up,

the house is still
really depressing
with everyone gone.

Maybe we should just
bag the whole thing.

You know, let the rest
of the world celebrate
Christmas, and we'll just
have Wednesday.

Oh, no, nothing doing.
I brought a lot of darn nice
Christmas gifts here.

But first, they've gotta
sit under a Christmas tree.

So come on, let's get
our coats and get going.
You too, kiddo.

Where are we going?

We're gonna march
down to that lot I saw
at the base of the hill.

We're gonna pick out the
finest-looking Christmas tree

we can find, and then
we're gonna drag it back
up the hill to the house.

Callie?
You still here?

[machine beeps]

[Callie over machine]
Okay. I'm gone.

My checks for rent
and phone are on the mantel.
Send them. Bye.

Yeah, lot of warmth there.

[Sarah] Bailey,
are you there?

I'm leaving for the airport,
and I just thought...

I don't know that
we should talk before I go.

Okay, maybe
I'll try back. Bye.

[machine beeps]

[Claudia] It's me. When
are you coming home? Call.

Bye.

[machine beeps]

[Sarah] Okay.
Now we're leaving,

I just thought I should
wish you a Merry Christmas

and vice versa, but...
Okay. I'm, I'm coming.

Okay. I gotta go. Bye.

[machine beeps]

[Julia] Bailey, there's some
stuff going on over here,

and we could really
use you around, so call.

[machine beeps]

[Claudia] Bailey,
it's Claudia.

[Julia in background]
I just called him.

[Claudia] Oh.

Well, call already.

Bye.

[phone rings]

[gasps]

[Julia] Now, how's that?

Mm. A little bit this way.

[doorbell rings]

I'll get it.

[Stuart] Merry Christmas.

Stuart, what is this?

I can't say.
You gotta open it.
Carefully. It's fragile.

-You got this for me?
-Yeah.

I thought real hard
about what you'd like,

and, well, let's just say
I think I did pretty well.

[car honking]

Oh, I. I gotta go.

I'm helping my mom
deliver latkes to our friends.

Man, I wish I could stay
to see your expression
when you open it.

[footsteps approach]

Wow.
Someone's trying
to impress you.

Impress me?

Why?

You... You think
he bought me this because...

Because...

Stuart has got a crush.

-No.
-Yeah.

No, no, no, no, no.
He can't. No.

I don't want him to.
I don't like him like that.
I barely like him not like that.

What, what am I gonna do?

Well, that's easy. You just
make sure the gift you give
him tells him how you feel.

I'm not gonna buy him a present.
He'll think I like him back.

Not if it's a totally
impersonal, completely

pro forma gift that doesn't
mean anything.

Where do you learn this stuff? ["Deck The Halls" playing
over the stereo]

Who do you have to know
to get a drink around here?

Hey, Jake,

what can I get for you?

Oh, I'll have a beer.

I figured this might be
my last chance to talk to you.

You ran out of the house
so fast this morning.

Yeah. It's, uh...
It's crazy around here.

We're all involved
in this homeless shelter,

and I just decided
to do a New Year's party
for the first time ever.

Well, it's nice to stay busy
when you got the blues.

Claudia told me
about what happened
with your girlfriend.

I, I'm sorry about that.

Your sisters...

miss having you
around the house, Charlie.

They can handle it.

Don't you think
you ought to head back there
just for a while?

Look, I, I know you're probably
trying to help here, but...

doing this whole
Christmas thing...

it's just making me
feel kind of...

stuck right now.

So I oughta butt out, huh?

Yes, please.

I gotta... I just... I gotta
focus on new stuff now,
get new interests,

find new places
to put my energy.

Because if I do that,
then I'll be able to start over, you know, and I won't spend
the rest of my life...

paying for one mistake.

I mean, you know
how this is, right?

You made a big mistake
and got past it.

Oh, did I get past it?

Yeah, in some ways,
maybe I did.

Yeah.

But in other ways, no.

Well, I'm sorry
about that, but...

that's not gonna
happen to me.

[panting, grunting]

[Russ]
Bailey.

Oh, man.

What are you doing?

What does it look like?

Like you're working out
at 7:00 at night
in the middle of vacation.

It's 7?

-No way.
-Yeah.

Why? How long
you been here?

I don't know. Since 4.

You know, most freshmen
are home right now,
eating decent meals,

getting a good night's sleep
for a change.

Yeah?

More power to 'em.

You do have a place to go,
right? Like your family's?

Yeah.

I do. I'm just not going.

[Russ]
So, what are you
gonna do for vacation?

You're looking at it.

At least it's good
for me, right?

Actually, it's not.

Students who don't step away
from this place now and then

end up climbing clock towers
with high-powered rifles.

Come on, get out of there.

Why don't you
come to my place tomorrow?
I'm gonna watch the game.

I don't think so.

Oh, that wasn't a request.

Kickoff is at 2:00.

I'll see you then, huh?

What about this one, O?
The Night Before Christmas.

Ah.

You want Grandpa
to read it to you, huh?

Oh, is that what he wants?

[chuckles]

Are you gonna read it?

Well, I-I'll tell you what.

I, I gotta
be heading out.

But, wait.
Where you going?

I'm going back to L.A.

Ugh. Come on, I mean,
just don't leave.

Yeah, you should stay.

It's just starting
to feel like Christmas.

Oh, it is, huh?

Well, I guess I could
stay a little.

[Julia]
Of course you can. So...

take the book and read it
to Owen like he asked.

Oh, now, wait a minute.
I don't know about reading--

No, no, see,
you can't say no. House rules.

[Jake]
House rules?
Then, uh, I guess I better.

Yes, ahem, here we are.

"'Twas the night before
Christmas,

and all through the house.

Not a creature was stirring,

not even a mouse.

The, uh, children...

were tucked...

in their..."

What? -Beds?
-Nestled.

"Nestled all tight
In their beds,

While visions of sugarplums,
danced in their heads."

[Jake] Uh, "Mama in her
kerchief, and I in my cap,"

"Mama in her kerchief...

and I in my cap,"

[mouthed speech]

Oh, no.
"I rose from my bed,

to see what was the matter."

You're on the wrong page.

Oh, oh.

[Jake]
So I am. Yeah.

So I am. Yeah.

[Bailey]
See, these guys
know how to spend Christmas.

Play a little ball,
toss back a few beers,
call it a day.

No caroling,
no yule log.

I'm impressed, Bailey.
It usually takes people 35 years

to work up
a good holiday malaise.

I've always been very
precocious.

That's how I ended up
at State.

Uh-huh.

Hey, that's coming along.

Yeah.
Mandy has one
at her mom's in Connecticut.

We made before the divorce.

I figured if she had one here,
it would feel more like home,
you know?

-Hold that, will you?
-Yeah.

I just hope she
hasn't outgrown it.

It's hard to know
when you only see her
a few times a year.

How old is she?

-Eleven.
-Yeah?

I have a sister who's 13.
Claudia.

Does she still like
doll houses?

Nah, no way.

Oh, but she only
just outgrew them.
Really recently.

Hm.

It's crazy, you know.

You feel like there's so much
riding on a stupid present.

That should be dry.

What do you mean?

Well, you know,

what if she hates it?

What if she looks
at it and thinks I don't
know her at all?

What if she's right?

[Claudia]
He wasn't even
on the right page.

He probably just figured
he knew the poem by heart,
and then he forgot.

Uh-uh.

I mean, did you
see his face?

He looked...
He looked scared.

Maybe he was just confused.
You know, that happens
to old people sometimes,

but it's totally normal.

So you really...
You really don't think
we should worry about it?

No. No, not at all.

But Stuart's gift
on the other hand...

Hey.

Perfect. Impersonal, yet fun,

distant, yet good-humored.

Cheap, yet cheap.

Hey, do you wanna send
a message or don't you?

I'm gonna have it
gift-wrapped.
Paper and no bow.

Sorry about the overflow.

Things get kind of crazy
around Christmas.

It's okay, I just wish
somebody from the office
would've called and told me.

I would've made sure
there was enough food.

There is no one at the office.
They cut our funding
for a secretary.

Welcome to non-profit.
Ho-ho.

[scoffs]

What a world, huh?

Yeah.

You try and do a good thing,
you try and be a decent citizen.

Hi. I'm, uh, Charlie.

Only businessman
in town that treats me
like a respectable man.

You bet I'll shake your hand.

So, uh...

I take it you're having
a rough time.

Yeah. So are the Bosnians.

So are the Kurds.
Everybody's got it rough. Who's Pete Terry to complain?

What right does Pete Terry
have to a better life?

Hey, you know what?
Every right.

You don't know that.

For all you know,
I could be a felon.

For all you know,
I coulda sold drugs to make
cash after I got laid off.

Is that true?
Did you do that?

Ten years with
a pharmaceutical concern.

You think you're secure.
Then bam, "See you."

Four months severance.

Four months later, the dealer's
the only one hiring.

Bam, arrested.

Bam, convicted.

Two and a half years.

Well, now I'm out,
but who's gonna hire me?

I bet lots of people would.
I mean, you did your time.

It doesn't matter.

It's a one-strike game
we're playing here, Charlie.

I swung, I missed.

[sighs]

[Claudia]
You sure do take your time
unwrapping things.

No, it's... it's done
so beautifully. I don't
wanna ruin your work.

Oh, no, no, no.
I didn't do it.

The, the guy
at the store did.

Are you kidding?
That costs a fortune.

No. No, no, no, no.
See, it was, uh...
It was free.

You got me this.

Um, yeah.

But...

How did you know
I collect these?

I got the epoxy
for you.

They had two.

I tried calling,
but your phone was busy

for, like, forever,
so I just took a guess.

She's not coming.

What?

She's not coming.

A big snowstorm
on the east coast
shut down the airports.

That's why I was on the phone.

Well, it has to be
better by tomorrow
or the next day, right?

Oh, she was only gonna
be here for three days.

Her mom's taking her
to the Caribbean
right after Christmas.

Oh.

Eh, so I'll see her
in the spring.
It's only a few months.

You know what?

I'm still not doing anything.

Why don't...
Why don't we do something...
tomorrow?

Like, I don't know,
go see a hockey game
or something?

Ah, it's okay, Bailey.
I know you got stuff
you wanna do.

Yeah. I wanna go to a game.

I think the Sharks
are playing. There's probably
some seats left.

What do you say?

What time is face-off?

[Charlie]
You like 'em?

Sure.

Whoo. They're thick.

Figured you were, uh, a 34,
is that about right?

Well, it depends on
how they fit, waist or hips.

I have wider hips
because I took female
hormones when I was a kid

as an experiment,
a medical experiment.

[Pete]
It's a study
in hormonal inversion.

I also grabbed you
a couple shirts,

so that when you
go on an interview,

you'll look like somebody
who has his act together.

I don't have
any interview.

Aha.

Yet.

Classifieds.

We're gonna sit here,
figure out which ones
you should go up for.

Nobody's gonna
give me a job.

Hey, listen, you walk in there
dressed right with a
positive attitude

and they're gonna see someone
who wants to make a new start.

And they're gonna
wanna help you.

People do get second chances.

So...

Hey, Jake.

Oh, hi.

I, uh, got you a present.

Oh, no. No present
before the big day.

No. It's not
a Christmas present.

Oh.

It's not a Christmas
present, huh?

Here,
just press the top.

[recorded voice]
Twelve a.m.

I saw you having trouble
finding your watch
this morning.

I wasn't having trouble.

That and the book.

You're having trouble
seeing, huh?

No. I'm okay.

Well, I'm an old man.

I've got old eyes.

I'm gonna take you
to a doctor.

I have a doctor.
He's a very good doctor.

I'm okay.

This is...

what they call
a degenerative thing.

That's the term.

De...generative?
You mean, you're going blind?

Yes, I will be going blind.

Oh.

God, I'm, uh...

-I'm sorry.
-I'm okay now.

Hey, I can manage the stairs.

I travel, planes, buses.
There's no problem
at all.

Now, listen.

I don't want you to tell
the other kids about this thing.

I don't want them
treating me like an invalid.

Okay.

And don't you be sad.

I've lived a long time.
And I've seen, uh,

so many beautiful things
in this life.

And I have them
all filed away,

alphabetically.

And now I have
a new one under "C".

Christmas
with my grandchildren.

Wait a minute. Wait a minute.
He's going blind?

Yes.

How do you even know this?
Have you seen him?

God, Bailey,
have you even listened
to your messages lately?

He's here.
He's staying with us.

[sighs]

I'm sorry. I just...

I've had some other
stuff going on.

But, okay.

Okay, I'll stop by,
and I'll say hi.

Oh, great. Another one
of your drive-bys.

Well, what do you
want from me?

I want...

Look, I'm all alone
in this, okay?

I can't talk to Claudia.
And Charlie is at work
all the time, so...

so I want you to come home
for Christmas.

I'm not doing
Christmas this year.

Get over yourself, Bailey.
Our grandfather is going blind.

How hard can it be
to spend a little time
with him?

I'm not saying it's hard.
I'm just...

I'm busy, actually.

I happen to have someplace
else I have to be.

Okay, Bailey, look,

I know you really wanna
check out right now.

But Jake is family.
So whatever else
you have to do,

I think you should cancel it
because this is more important.

[door opens]

-You're late.
-Late for what?

I'm just dropping by to see,
if you have any food you want
me to take back to the shelter.

Heh. Yeah. Sure.

I'm sorry, Xander, I...
I thought you were Pete.

Pete Terry?

Yeah. I'm, uh,

helping him get a job.

Some people already called
to set up interviews.

Are you sure that's such
a good idea? I mean,
considering his history.

Hey, the guy only
made one mistake.

People can change.

They can realize
where they went wrong

and turn their lives around.

Yeah. Sure, Charlie.
No argument. It's just
that, uh,

it's different when you're
talking about a schizophrenic.

A what?

Pete's a schizophrenic.

The state gives him medication,
which he usually sells.

But when he's off it,
reality's kinda nebulous.

Pete. Um,

where... where are
the clothes we got?

I can't wear 'em now.
They make me too conspicuous.
They're in a safe place.

In a little while,
I'll get 'em. I'll
come to work.

But not now. They make
me too conspicuous.

Stuart.

It's a thank-you note.

-You couldn't mail it?
-What? This time of year?

We'd be lucky if you
got it by New Year's.

-Wanna know what it says?
-I--

"Dear Claudia, thank you
for the thoughtful gift.

I am moved by the care
you took in selecting it.

Looking forward to our
future with anticipation.

I remain yours truly,

Stuart."

Look, Stuart,
you're a nice guy,

but there isn't going to be
any future for us.

I... I don't
like you like that.

But that gift...

Was supposed to be impersonal.

I mean, how was I supposed
to know that that would mean
something?

I mean, what kind of a person
collects those things?

My kind.

Oh, I... I'm sorry. That came out wrong.
I didn't mean--

And here I thought
you were this nice person.

-I am nice.
-No, you're not.

A nice person
doesn't lead people on

and then squash
their hearts like a bug.

I never led you on.

Oh, right.

Like I just imagined
the whole thing.

[door slams]

[Russ] Hey, come on in.
I'm just nuking up
a Hungry-Man dinner here.

Thanks.

I-I got another one
I could heat up for you.
It only takes seven minutes.

We'll still have plenty of time
to make it to the stadium.

Yeah, um, about that.

I can't go.

I'm actually
heading home.

Home? You mean,
family home?

Yeah.

It turns out there's
some stuff going on
there that I should...

Anyway.

I said I'd go.

Oh, sure. I understand.
That's, uh--

But I feel really bad
about this.

You know, I mean,

we said we were gonna do this.

Oh, no, no.
No sweat.

It's Christmas Eve.
You should be with
your family.

[microwave beeping]

Um, that's my dinner.
I gotta...

[chuckles]

[microwave door opens]

Listen, you tell your
family I wish them
a very Merry Christmas, huh?

[Jake] He's gonna come
sliding right down there

with a big bag of presents
to leave in the house.

No.

What do you mean "no"?

O-oh, yes, he will.

You wait and see
and tomorrow,

all these stockings will be
full of presents left by him.

[Bailey] Okay.

We got moo shu.
We got kung pao.

We got pot-stickers.

Traditional
Christmas Eve dinner.

[all laughing]

Around here it is.

Uh, Julia, you didn't
need to do that.

Yes, I did. 'Cause a stocking's
what you hang at Christmas

to say, "This is where
I belong." And you belong here.

Oh, no, kids.
I don't belong here.

I just came by to leave
a few presents

and spend a little time
with you, but, uh...

But, uh, this is, uh...

this is... this is
your home, not mine.

Well, I guess
what we're saying

is we like having you
around this time of year.

And that it would be nice
if you were here
next Christmas too.

-Right, Bay?
-Yeah.

That would be...
That would be good.

[Claudia] And the one
after that. And the one
after that.

We'll do it just like this,
every single year.

No matter what.

Charlie?

When did you get back
from the restaurant?

Um,

half an hour ago, maybe.

So, um, what was going
on down there?

Lots of busy holiday stuff?

I don't know.

What do you mean?

You were... you were there.

Yeah. I just don't know
what's going on.

We're doing
the tree downstairs.

Bay was gonna do the lights,
but I told him not to 'cause
I know you love to do them.

-It's okay. He can.
-No.

It's your job.

And if someone else does it,
it'd be like saying

you're not here.

And you are.

Right?

Yeah, Claud,
I'm here.

So come downstairs.

Come downstairs
and do the lights.

[instrumental music playing]

[Jake] The address
is 33-24 Broadway.

Listen, tell your driver
not to honk, please.

I'll be waiting for him.

Thanks.

Man.

[chuckles]

Thought I had
bad staying power, but you...

I'm not running away
from anything, Charlie.

Right.

Okay. That's what I'll tell
Claudia in the morning.

See you, Jake.
It's been real.

Charlie, wait a minute.

I've got an appointment

that I must keep.

I never intended staying.

I've stayed

two days too long already,
and... and now I've simply
gotta leave.

What kind of appointment
could you possibly have
on Christmas morning?

It's an appointment
for chemotherapy.

What?

Treatment for cancer.

Jake, God, um...

I'm sorry.
God, what I just said--

Don't let it worry you.

You were only trying
to stick up for the kids.
You were doing just fine.

Let us help.
We're... we're family.

I don't wanna
play that card.

If I'd been around

all the time and had
really been a member
of the family,

it'd be a different
story but...

That's not the way
it works, Jake.

Claudia was just...
so excited to have you here.

Oh, I think
she can handle it.

I know she can handle it
better than losing me
little by little.

Don't you think so?

Well, that's the answer.

Now, don't feel
bad about this.

But listen, maybe you think
that I don't love those kids.

I'm gonna tell you,
I do. I love them.

And I love you.

I love you all.

[sentimental music playing]

Julia, is this from you?

[Julia] Hm? What?

Santa Claus?

Oh.

"This belonged to my mother,
your great-grandmother.

She was a great music lover
and would be happy to know

it was being worn
by her great-granddaughter,
the violinist.

Merry Christmas.

Love, Grandpa."

[sighs] Why is there
no coffee in the machine?

We ran out. Bailey went
to get some, like,

six hours ago. Where's
he buying it, Columbia?

-What'd you get?
-Another candy cane.

Another candy cane?

[laughs]

I'm gonna go wake him up.

Wait. I just said
he went to get coffee.

Not Bailey. Grandpa.

I mean, I'm sure
he doesn't wanna sleep
throughout the whole day.

No, Claud, wait.
Hang on, um,

he's not there.

What? Well, where is he?

He's, uh... He had to go,
early this morning.

-Wait, he left?
-Candy cane.

Yeah. He didn't want to,
though. Um, he...

Last night he... I guess
he started thinking
about his daughter.

And he thought that
maybe since he was
here on Christmas Eve,

he should be there
on Christmas Day.

But, why didn't
he say anything?

Like I said, it...
it didn't occur to him
until late last night. So...

So he just

walked away?

After everything
we did for him.

I'm sure he didn't
want to, Claud...

[door opens]

See, my sisters always bitch
about me watching the game
on Christmas.

But with you here, that's like
part of your job, right?

-I mean, you have to watch.
-Leave me out of it, huh?

Charlie, Julia, Owen,
this is Russ Petrocelli,
my coach.

[Russ] Hi.

He's gonna be hanging out
with us today.

-Hey
-If it's all right with you.

Well, can you cook?

I can peel and chop things.

Good enough. Follow me.

Only until kickoff.

What do you want now, Stuart?

Um, well, I'm here
to apologize.

Look, you... you didn't
lead me on. And you're
not a mean person.

I only said those things
because I was ashamed.

And now even more ashamed
because I said those things,

and I'm... I'm really sorry,
and I feel really stupid,
and I just think that we--

Enough, Stuart.

Apology accepted.

Really? [sighs] Phew.

Well, okay.

So we can be friends again?

Yeah. Why not?

Great.

[exhales]

You know, I... I couldn't
help noticing all the cooking
going on in the kitchen.

Yeah, you know.
Christmas dinner
is kind of a big thing.

Turkey, hot cross buns.
Stuff like that.

Really? How interesting,

uh, you...
you know, culturally.

Hey, Stuart.

I have an idea.

Why don't you stay?

[chuckles lightly]

[fridge door opens,
bottles clinking]

-Is it halftime?
-No.

Called time out to cart
some guy with a concussion
off the field.

I like your coach.

Even if he lied
about being able to chop.

That was a nice thing
you did asking him here.

I only did it
'cause I had to.

That's not true. You did it
'cause you're a good guy.

Okay. Look, let's be
honest here, Jule, okay?

'Cause that's true,
and you know it's not true.

And in case you forgot
why it's not true,

why don't you give
Sarah a call? I'm sure
she'll remind you.

[clanging]

Where the hell
is the bottle opener?

You know what, Bay?

I really think that if you're
gonna punish yourself

this hard for the bad stuff
you do,

you should at least
give yourself some credit
for the good things.

I mean, yeah, you
messed up with Sarah,

but like it or not,
you're still the kind of guy

who's not gonna let someone
spend Christmas alone,

and that's...

That's what?

I don't know. But it's
gotta be something.

Oh, I didn't know
you were out here.

-I'll just--
-It's okay. Hey.

What are you doing?

Just looking for someplace
where no one else is,
I guess.

How come?

I don't know.

It doesn't really feel
like Christmas in there.

No one wants to be here,

except Stuart.

It's not that I don't
wanna be here, Claud.

Right.

You're probably just sitting
there thinking what your life
would be like

if you didn't have to
take care of me and Owen.

You don't really
think that, do you?

I don't know.

Maybe.

[sighs]

I like taking care
of you, Claudia.

I like dropping
you off at school.

I like hearing about
what guy you have a crush on.

I like taking you
to the dentist.

I like it all. I wouldn't trade
that for anything in the world.

Yeah. But it doesn't
make you happy.

It's just

not quite enough.

You know?

I mean, I love you.

But I guess I want
a little more
out of life too.

And that's hard

because I was so close
to having that.

Marrying Kirsten
would have been much more.

Much more.

And it's not like
I wanna replace her,

'cause I know that I'm
never gonna have her

or anything like her again.

I just wouldn't
mind something.

It doesn't even
have to be a big thing,
you know?

Just something small.

For me.

Looks nice, Julia.

Yeah, it does,
doesn't it?

[screams] Dinner's ready!

[sighs]

Oh, um,
we're short a chair,

so someone has to
take the piano stool.

Oh, I will.

[Claudia] This looks
great, Jule.

Yeah, if we can
sidestep last year's
salmonella incident.

-Salmonella?
-You had the flu.

It was the flu.

Right.

Well, should we, I don't know,
say a blessing or something?

We could.

[clears throat]

[Owen hums
"The Little Drummer Boy"]

Amen.

-Amen.
-Amen.

Amen.

[laughs]

[Russ] That was very good.

-[indistinct chattering]
-[doorbell rings]

[Bailey] Want some of this, O?

[chattering continues]

-Grace.
-Charlie.

I thought you were in Chicago.

I was. But, uh,
now I'm home.

Alone?

Yeah. Well, no. I mean,
my family's here,

but, um...
But I'm alone, yeah.

Oh.

Well, I'm sorry.

Well, I don't, uh...
I don't wanna keep you.
I just wanted to bring this by.

[laughs] It's cranberry bread.

-Merry Christmas.
-Oh, wow.

-Grace, thanks.
-Oh, it's nothing.

It's just something small.

Listen, um, can you come in?

We're just sitting
down to dinner.

Oh, that's nice. But I've...
I've already eaten.

That's okay.
I won't tell anybody.

[chuckles]

[playing "Silent Night"]

What do you say
we give it a spin, huh?

Here you go. Woo, you wouldn't
know where those wrenches
are, would you?

Mrs. Reeves, hi. It's Bailey.

Thanks. You too.

Is Sarah there?

Hi.

I just wanted to wish you
a Merry Christmas.

Thanks.

I'm sorry I didn't call sooner.

Um, things have been
kinda hectic around here.

Yeah.

Yeah. Not bad.

How about you?

How's everything
in Florida?

You look so cute.

Uh, actually, that's my Dad
when he was little.

Wow, you really take
after him, don't you?

Maybe. I don't know.

[Owen imitating a motor]

Who's that playing?

Stuart.

Really? For a first-timer,
he's really embracing
the holiday.

Hey, as long as
he's not embracing me,
I'm not complaining.

["Have Yourself A Merry
Little Christmas" playing]

[humming]

♪ Once again ♪

♪ As in olden days ♪

♪ Happy golden days of yore ♪

[both] ♪ Faithful friends ♪

♪ Who were dear to us ♪

♪ Will be near to us ♪

♪ Once more ♪

♪ Through the years ♪

♪ We all will be together ♪

♪ If the fates allow ♪

♪ Until then ♪

♪ We'll have to
Muddle through somehow ♪

♪ And have yourself ♪

♪ A merry little Christmas ♪