A Bramble House Christmas Page #6

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when we first met.

MABLE:
What is happening

in my house?

What is happening?

Can... Maybe we should...

Okay.

Yeah, okay...

Okay.

I know this looks bad.

You're cooking

in my kitchen?

Sage, you're

my own niece!

How could you?

Oh, to heck

with all that, Mable.

Did you have an accident?

Did you hurt your foot?

Yes.

Right, so can you do

all of this by yourself?

No.

KEN:
Then either

you have to let people help you,

or nothing's

going to get done.

Your choice.

Are you really that stubborn

that you'd rather not have

a full Christmas around here?

Yes.

KEN:
These people care for you.

If you're incapable

of seeing that, I...

I'm sorry.

Excuse me.

Wait.

I'm going for a drive.

Oh, you're angry.

No, I'm not.

I just don't understand people

who can't see

what's right in front of them.

[sighs]

So I was being a tyrant...

and I'm sorry.

It's just this place

should be so much

Christmas-ier by now,

and I just didn't know

how to accomplish that

on my own, so...

if you amazing people

would like to help me with that,

I would welcome that.

What can we do?

Oh, thank you.

[sigh of relief, a chuckle]

Have yourself

a merry little Christmas

Let your heart

be light

From now on

Our troubles

will be out of sight

Have yourself...

Should we show Mable now?

Mmm, I think she said

she went shopping.

Let's show it to her

when it's perfect, huh?

Make the yuletide gay

How about over...

Perfect.

Our troubles

will be far away

Here we are

as in olden days

Happy golden days

of yore

SAGE:
Oh, it's beautiful.

I brought you something.

WILLA:
You did?

Oh, my goodness!

What is this?

Early Christmas present.

[laughs]

You remembered!

Oh, it's incredible!

Thank you.

Aw...

Thank you.

Look at what you did.

No, this is what we did,

and hats off to your aunt

for letting us.

Hats off to you.

She's been different

since you came,

and someone else

has changed too.

SAGE:
He's wonderful with Scout.

You two seem pretty cozy.

You still thinking

about all that?

My head knows it's crazy,

but I'm trying to do

what I promised.

You know,

follow my heart,

embrace my life,

take a chance.

There you go.

I went a little crazy

and bought all sorts of treats

for all of you.

[they laugh]

Oh!

Just look at that.

Now it looks

like Christmas.

Thank you.

MOLLY:
So the $100,000

was to pay for medical bills?

Seriously?

She's a health care aide

with a kid

and a mountain of bills,

just struggling to get by.

Dad gave her a way out.

Or she's lying to you.

It was the son

that told me.

Wait, sorry.

So now you're bonding

with her son?

Mol, just listen...

Look, I don't know

what's going on there,

but it sounds to me

like she's got you turned around

like she did Dad.

It's not what you think.

Dad opened up to her.

He told her

that he regretted so much

what he'd done to us,

and in his own mind,

he thought at the time

that he was helping Mom

so she could get married

so that

there would be someone there

for her, for us.

Or she's on to you,

and she knows exactly

what to say

to push your buttons.

She's not like that,

all right?

And this was never

about the money,

money which we don't need,

by the way.

Now, it's time

to let all of this go.

I'm not showing her

the injunction.

I'm not going to pursue it,

and neither should you.

So, what, that's it?

You just come back to Seattle

for Christmas

and forget about it?

I'm going to stay here

for Christmas.

I'll see you at New Year's

in Seattle.

We'll, uh...

raise a glass for Dad

and think of the good times

we did have with him.

All right?

You have a good Christmas.

I'll call you.

Finn, you...

Okay, you can stop.

You've done enough.

Tomorrow's Christmas Eve.

I want it all to be perfect

for you.

You know, you act

like you like doing this.

I do.

Is that completely crazy?

Yes.

[laughs]

Now...

come on.

Come have some of this.

No, I really shouldn't.

Three different kinds

of chocolate.

Okay, if you insist.

Oh, Willa!

It's a sickness.

I know.

Yeah.

Thank you.

I don't know

how you do this.

Oh, it's just

an old family recipe.

I mean running this place

single-handedly,

even before

you broke your ankle.

How do you do it alone?

Can I tell you a secret?

Mm-hm.

I didn't break my ankle

horseback riding.

No?

That's just

what I've been saying.

Mm.

I did it

walking down the stairs,

holding laundry,

while on the phone

with a prospective guest.

So you know it's too much.

Yeah.

I just didn't know

what to do about it, or...

how to ask for help.

Ken was right.

Okay, can I be

completely inappropriate?

Mm-hm.

Ken likes you.

Oh, I know.

I've known since high school.

Well, do you like him back?

I do.

Then what's the problem?

What if he uproots his life,

and then

it doesn't work out?

No.

I'd rather just bury myself

in so much work

that I couldn't possibly

be open to a relationship,

and that way,

it won't happen,

and no one gets hurt.

Or bury yourself

in caring for your child.

Scout's been very sick

the last two years.

He's better now,

but I think I've

used it as an excuse...

To not join the world.

And the truth is,

I'm starting to feel

that there is a bigger picture

for me,

and I just don't know

how to get at it.

You know,

maybe you're just looking

at this

the wrong way.

You're not a nurse.

You're a caretaker.

I mean, just look

what you've done around here.

It's not a job to you.

It's who you are.

You...

you're a caretaker.

Okay?

Okay.

You want to have a cup of tea?

Sure!

Good.

[]

...This will be the one

I cross

Let go of

some of that control...

Find the perfect harmony

To bring it all to life

Hey, buddy?

Let me talk to you

for a minute.

What do you think

if maybe I didn't look

for another health-care job?

What kind of job

would you get?

Maybe something

completely different.

Maybe something

not in Minneapolis.

Do you think

you would miss the city

if that happened?

Could we move here?

Is that what you want?

If I could live

at a place like this,

I wouldn't miss Minneapolis

at all.

Okay.

Oh, hey, Ken?

Yeah?

You know you told me

about the book reading

on Christmas Eve?

Well, it looks like

I'll be available now,

so if there's still

an opening?

Absolutely.

We'd love to have you.

Great, yeah.

[knocks on door]

Hi.

I'll be downstairs in a bit.

Oh, actually,

I'm here for Scout.

What do you

need Scout for?

Um, would you mind

if we didn't tell you?

[laughs]

Where will you be?

We'll be in the craft room,

but we'd really appreciate it

if you didn't come in.

[gasps]

So many Christmas secrets!

[laughs]

Okay, go ahead.

How long will you have him?

Don't worry about it.

I've got this.

You take some time...

for you.

Do something

that will make you happy.

All right,

so you wanted

to put all these drawings

together for your mom,

right?

So I did a few

more, but, um...

you know what

they need?

Captions?

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