'Tis the Season for Love Page #2

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Can you say hi?

Say hi!

Barry and Eileen

are married!

I didn't-- Barry and Eileen

are married!

Going on five years.

Wow! Wow. She's beautiful.

Thank you!

We think so.

But then again,

you know,

we're a little

biased here.

Beth and mommy

did drama together!

All of the plays.

The plays!

Yeah, the plays!

Exactly.

And then she left

and I guess we lost touch.

It's good to see you.

How are you?

Crazed, as usual.

We promised Taylor

that we'd get the Christmas tree

up today,

so she's very excited.

But, luckily,

Dean has been very helpful.

Listen, we're going to go

to the pub later.

Why don't you join us?

My mother's going to come

to look after Taylor,

and I want to hear all about

your fascinating life

in New York.

You know, I'm supposed to

help my mom put up the lights.

Oh! Dean can help you

with that tomorrow.

Yeah, they're always

volunteering me for things.

Must be what it's like

to be born a weakling,

you know, like Barry.

Hey! This "weakling"

beat you for

all-state in wrestling,

even though

you're bigger than me.

And he still won

"most athletic."

He's never going to let me

live that down. Never!

Please come.

I need you there.

I can't listen

to this guy's stories anymore.

That's enough out of you.

I'm going to go pay

for the tree.

And you can lug it

to the car.

-Bye.

-Bye. We'll see you later.

So will your

family be there?

Will I be the only

unmarried spinster of the group?

No. It's just me.

No wife. No kids.

You didn't marry

Melinda Casswell?

You guys were voted

"most likely to get married."

Twice.

Yeah, no, I did marry

Melinda Casswell.

She just traded me in

for a newer model

a couple years later.

I never liked her.

Yeah, nobody did.

You should've told me that.

Would've saved me

a lot of trouble.

[Both laughing]

Okay, I'll come.

It was

a beautiful wedding.

You went?

I made Eileen's cake.

But you never

told me that!

Honey...

I know how hard it was

after he decided not

to go to New York with you.

It's not my style

to throw salt on wounds.

You didn't ask.

I didn't tell.

I asked about Barry.

Did you?

Maybe I didn't.

It was just easier

to make a clean break.

It's all old news anyway,

so leave the past

where it belongs

and enjoy your friends tonight.

This one is perfect!

Excuse me!

We'd like

this tree, please.

Sorry.

Mom, I don't even know

what I would say to them.

Tell them the truth.

I don't even want to

tell myself the truth.

Honestly, I feel like

I should give up,

move back home, and...

Sell insurance.

Oh, stop!

We both know you're not going

to be doing that.

You're going to get

that Mamet play,

everything

is going to be perfect.

Broadway will be lucky

to have you.

Now, I'm going to pay

for this tree,

and I will meet you

afterwards.

Dream big, sweetie.

[To tree lot worker]

I'll follow you.

Okay.

Ahh!

Are you ready

for your Christmas wish now?

[Chuckles]

My mother didn't monopolize your

entire afternoon

with her laundry list

of wishes?

[Chuckles mirthfully]

I'm Santa Claus.

There's no cap

on the number of wishes

I can Grant.

So, what's on your mind?

There's this part

in a play.

Ah. And you want it?

More than anything.

It would mean

that I'm not spinning

my wheels in New York.

Accomplishments

don't mean greatness.

They don't hurt.

And if you don't get

this part?

How can you say that?

You're Santa Claus!

You're in the business

of wish-granting.

I am.

So... you want this part.

That's your wish?

That's my wish.

Consider it granted.

Although I have learned

that, sometimes,

what we don't wish for

is more powerful

than what we do.

All righty.

Did you make

your Christmas wish?

Yeah. Let's go.

Bye, Santa.

[]

[Chatter and laughter]

Here you go, Beth!

It's on the house.

Oh! Wow.

Uh, thank you, um...?

Georgia.

When I was eight,

I saw you in Our Town.

I cried and cried

after your performance.

We still talk about it

to this day.

Drama used to be

everything, you know?

Now they may have to

shut it down.

They can't afford

a full-time teacher anymore.

Yeah, I heard.

My mom was telling me that.

That's a shame.

I loved my drama days.

We all did. Those

were such good times!

Yeah.

Please enjoy, guys.

Thank you.

Thanks.

So, Beth, tell us

all about your

exciting life in New York.

Oh, well, you know... it's--

it's New York, it's incredible.

You know,

I've never been.

We should really go.

Taylor would love it.

She's learning about

the "statute" of Liberty,

as she calls it,

in preschool.

We should all go.

I bet Beth has some fancy

New York City apartment

we could all crash in. Right?

Yeah. Yeah.

You know, I mean...

When the weather's nice.

Right now it's a mess.

How I would have loved

to have made a career

out of acting,

but I did not have the guts...

Or the talent.

Not like you, Beth.

I'd probably be one of those

perpetually out-of-work actors,

living on someone's couch,

waiting tables,

praying for that big break

that never comes.

[Chuckles] Nope.

I'm much more suited

to the boring old

stability of Kern.

Well, it's not for everyone.

[]

Hey, do you guys remember

that high-speed chase

that happened on main street?

It was all anyone ever

talked about for weeks!

Your dad made us

go downstairs

and turn out the lights

in the pharmacy.

We missed it

by, like, 30 seconds.

We were so mad!

The Weekly Kernel

must've done

a hundred stories

on that one event.

High-speed chase.

That is what you need

for the paper

to really take off.

Yes.

I can't believe you took over

The Weekly Kernel .

I mean, that is huge.

Started as an intern,

worked my way up.

Of course, no one else

wanted the job,

so that definitely helped

my meteoric rise up the ladder.

Your daughter is

adorable, by the way.

Thank you.

She keeps us

on our toes,

that's for sure.

Barry's running

the pharmacy now.

Oh!

Yeah, my dad, he

retired three years ago.

Business is good.

Ahh. Your dad

always wanted

to hand over

the reins to you.

I'm sure he's glad

that you took them.

[Guys laughing]

Oh!

All right,

on that note,

I think I'm going to

go call my mom

and check on Taylor.

Hey, send her

a kiss from me.

-I'm gonna get another pitcher.

-Sure.

[Awkward chuckles]

So...

So...

You married Eileen Taylor.

Yeah, I thought

you would've heard by now.

I didn't get the memo.

I didn't have

your address.

You seem really happy.

I am really happy.

Great job,

great family,

great life.

I couldn't ask for more.

I'm glad.

Me too. Everything's--

everything's great.

Ah. So you made

the right decision,

when you decided to leave.

You decided to stay.

I was always

going to leave.

We had a plan. We were packed.

We had tickets.

Well, I guess things work out

the way they're supposed to.

And we both made choices

that led us here.

Yeah.

To a great life.

Exactly.

I was hoping this wouldn't

be weird between us,

after all this time.

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