A Bramble House Christmas Page #2

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I'm going to be able

to answer it.

No, I think you can.

I think...

Miss Fairchild...

you...

SCOUT:
Mom?

Oh...

Sweetheart...

I woke up, and

I couldn't find you.

WILLA:
I'm so sorry.

You were in a strange place

all by yourself.

I'm sorry.

Can I take you

back to bed?

Okay.

This is Finn.

He's a new guest

at Bramble House.

Can you say hi?

Okay, let's go.

Grab your stuff.

I'll show you your room.

Scout?

Scout?

I didn't want to turn on

the light and wake you up.

Ah.

But Mom?

Mm-hm?

Was that guy from last night...

was his full name

Finn Knightly?

Yeah.

He's the illustrator

of Everyday Sam!

He's staying here?

Can we ask him

about his next book?

Maybe he'll be

at breakfast.

Come on!

Scout!

Pajamas.

SCOUT:
Mom! Look!

[Willa laughs]

Well, hi there.

Mable said the town Santa

was staying here. Hi.

Hi.

Hi. I'm Willa,

and this is my son, Scout.

Well, hiya, Scout.

Nice to meet you.

You know,

my real name is Ken.

Did you know

that Santa had helpers

all over the world

collecting Christmas wishes

from kids?

Oh!

Well, my favorite thing

in the whole world to do

is hear those wishes.

You got yours yet?

My Christmas wish

already came true.

[Ken gasps]

Really?

SCOUT:
But...

maybe there's a few toys

I could add in?

[laughs]

Sure thing,

and I'll get them

to the big guy,

but here's my question.

Does anyone else smell bacon?

[gasps]

Your favorite!

Let's go get some.

Mable, let me help

you with that.

No, no, no, no,

I'm fine.

Thank you for asking.

Well, this is amazing.

Everything looks delicious.

Can I get anybody

coffee? Tea?

Marshmallows?

We roasted some

last night, and...

Did you put the garland

on the steps too?

WILLA:
I couldn't sleep.

Fixing things up

relaxes me.

I do the decorations,

and the dessert.

What you did

was very thoughtful.

Don't do it again.

WILLA:
Yes, ma'am.

She's tough.

Ah...

Not too tough.

We grew up together.

Oh...

I've been living in Portland

for the last 20 years,

but I always come back

to Bramble to be Santa.

She's just mad

that she hurt herself

ice skating.

Ice skating?

She told me horseback riding.

Oh, she's always been

a slippery one.

[Willa laughs]

Hi! Good morning.

I'm Ken.

Hey. Finn. Morning.

Good morning!

My son has discovered

that you are

the illustrator

of one of his favorite books.

He's a huge Everyday Sam fan.

[chuckles]

Is that so?

I read the first 10 books twice,

and I'm on the 11th.

Are you here

working on the next one?

I am, um...

actually, the one that

comes out next Christmas.

Yeah.

Um...

I'm doing some sketching

later today in the park, um...

if you'd like

to check it out?

Oh, thank you,

but no.

We're, um,

planning a...

Mom!

Mellow day.

You guys don't want to miss

the Christmas Stroll.

The Christmas Stroll?

Mr. Conrad said

it was awesome.

KEN:
Yes,

and it starts today.

And I can always use help

with a stand-in for Sam

when I'm drawing.

You'd actually be doing me

a huge favor.

I get to be Sam?

Well, I guess

we'll be joining you.

Great.

This place'll be great

for your book, right?

Yeah!

It's beautiful.

What should I do?

Um...

why don't you go stand

with those carolers

over there?

Pretend you're singing.

Is it all right?

As long as you stay

where I can... see you.

Don we now

our gay apparel

Perfect.

Fa la la, la la la

la la la...

[]

[Willa laughs]

I'm sorry,

I don't mean to disturb you.

No, no, not at all.

Please, have a seat.

I'm just roughing it out.

Really?

Yeah, yeah,

come on, chat.

You have a great job...

getting to go

to beautiful places

and always having

a way to record them.

Yeah, it is.

What about you?

What do you do?

It's nothing as glamorous

as that.

I've been working

as a health aide.

FINN:
A nurse?

WILLA:
Not quite.

I did all the coursework,

but, um, just...

What, you didn't

want to finish?

It's...

it's complicated.

Yeah...

I'm sorry,

I don't know your situation,

so it must be...

You must meet

some pretty

interesting characters

along the way, huh?

Mm-hm.

Any that stick out?

I'm sorry,

I can't really talk

about my patients.

Oh, yeah, no.

Of course.

I was just thinking

that, you know...

they must really

depend on you

and open up.

Is it kind of like that?

Mr. Knightly, I...

I'm Finn, please,

and yeah, I know...

I'm being nosy,

but it's just kind of

part of my job description,

kind of to hear people's stories

so I can portray them

in my work,

and you do something

I don't know anything about,

so...

It is sort of like that.

Um...

everyone has a story,

and...

when people are laid up

or they're hurting,

and you get them

one on one,

they do tend to open up.

What kind of stuff

do they say?

[she laughs]

I know. Okay.

I heard it.

Um...

Well, I just think

that you seem like

the kind of person

that, uh, a lot of people

would like to talk to.

There's a chocolate shop

over there,

and Mr. Conrad says

they have the best

hot chocolate here.

They do?

Well, then

let's go get some!

Um... it was

really nice

talking with you.

And you.

Mr. Knightly's

not coming?

Oh, no.

Call me Finn, please.

Um...

Well, I would love

a hot chocolate,

if it's okay with...

Yeah, please!

Come with us.

Just let me...

Okay.

Be right there.

Angels we have heard

on high

Sweetly singing

o'er the plains

So who's Mr. Conrad?

He's one of my mom's patients.

Scout!

What?

He was really nice.

There were a few days

when my childcare fell through,

and he was

very understanding.

We played cards,

and he taught me

how to bet in poker.

We also watched skating on TV.

He loved speed skating.

He loved skating.

He did, huh?

He wanted to teach me.

He taught his son

when he was my age.

And he's the one

that recommended this place?

He spent

his first five Christmases here,

and he had very fond memories.

He's the one

who gave us this trip.

Mm!

It was a surprise

for me too.

Scout has always wanted

to learn how to skate.

I could teach him.

Oh, I'm sorry,

that wasn't what I was saying.

I just... um...

No, no, both of you.

Yeah, I mean,

I think I saw a rink

by Bramble House,

and I'm pretty sure

Mable loans out skates.

So...

Could we?

Well, if Mr...

if Finn has the time, then...

Yes, I'd be

happy to. Yeah.

Hey. I'm Sage.

I'm the owner.

Nice to meet you.

You do amazing work.

This is delicious.

Oh, thank you.

We just love it

when families come into town.

Oh, we're not...

no.

He belongs to me.

Oh!

FINN:
Yeah,

I'm just tagging along

for the sugar rush, so...

[laughs]

Well, hey,

while you're here,

you have got to try a sample

of our famous

chocolate truffles.

They are to die for.

Can I?

Yes.

Come with me.

You know,

Scout has really loved

your Everyday Sam books.

A hero in everyday life...

that's a great gift

to some kids.

Wow. Thank you.

Uh...

it's nothing

like the hard work you do.

Your patients

must be very grateful.

Do all of them

give you gifts like this?

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