A Christmas Wish

1

Yes, I know, baby bear.

Come on, we're gonna

get in the car

and get in our

princess seat.

But he might be

coming back.

He's not coming back,

Miles.

You read the note.

And even if he did,

we're not gonna be here.

Where are we going ?

As far as Jack'll

take us.

Why do you call

the car "Jack" ?

'Cause it rhymes

with Cadillac.

Come on, get in the car,

put on your seat belts.

Let's go.

( girl )

You ready to go

on a trip, Lilee ?

( horn honking )

( Miles )

Which way are we going ?

( woman )

North.

How far north ?

( girl )

The North Pole ?

No, not that far north.

( birds chirping )

( bells jingling )

( girl )

It looks like

no job here, either.

Hello !

All right,

put your seat belts on.

And then Santa came

and the family had

the best Christmas ever.

( girl )

Tell us another one.

Oh, tomorrow, honey,

I don't want to

use 'em all up today.

I miss home.

Well, we'll find

a better one.

( Miles )

We never should have left.

No, we shouldn't have

stayed as long as we did.

Mama, I gotta go.

It'll be okay, Mama.

How do you know ?

I said a prayer.

A-- a lot of good

that'll do.

Hey, Miles,

it couldn't hurt.

Mama, you're strong.

Thank you, sweetheart.

Remember what Pastor Woolery

used to say.

What ?

"Women are like tea bags.

"You never know

how strong they are

until you put 'em in

hot water."

Or how dumb.

( bell dinging )

( woman sighing )

We gotta find a motel.

Mama, I gotta go.

Oh-oh-- why-why didn't you go

when we stopped last time ?

'Cause I didn't

have to go then !

Okay.

You do ?

Okay, thanks.

Okay.

Okay.

The motel has a vacancy.

I thought Dad

took all the money.

Well, I had some

he didn't know about.

Why'd he take it ?

'Cause that's

what lowlifes do.

I mean, maybe he needed some

for himself, right ?

Yeah, probably needed it

for his lady friend.

( giggling )

Yeah.

Well, the motel's not far,

so... buckle up.

( man )

No pets neither.

( woman )

We don't have any pets.

I could give you

a better rate

if you stayed

the whole week.

With Christmas and all,

we don't get much traffic.

Do you need any

help around here ?

Nah, wife does it.

Mama, I gotta go !

I'm coming.

Trudy may be looking

for a waitress

to handle

the graveyard.

That's what I hear.

Who ?

Trudy Willis.

She owns the Model A Cafe,

south end of town.

Okay.

Thank you.

But, Mama, I gotta go !

Well, you're just

gonna have to hold it.

That's what I've been doing

and I can't anymore !

Does she have to

be by us ?

A diaper !

( giggling )

I can't afford to hire

anyone right now.

Please, I've tried

every town

between here

and the state line.

I've got to find something.

I understand that.

No, I'll work for

half the wages.

You don't understand.

I can't afford to

hire anyone.

She's re-really gotta go.

Okay, do you have

a restroom she can use ?

Sure, come here.

What are you drawing,

Lilee ?

Oh, what color is it ?

How about I work for whatever

you can afford and tips ?

How about that ?

I can only afford

minimum wage

and we'll see how

it goes 'til Christmas.

Thank you, thank you !

Oh, you won't

regret it.

I already do.

Oh, thank you !

Hi, Lilee.

Well, this probably

won't last long anyway.

What's that ?

Oh, I said

I can't wait that long.

I need you to start

tonight.

Tonight, tonight ?

Oh, um, all right,

let me get the kids

squared away then.

Mac and cheese leftover

from lunch.

For the children.

Really ?

Thank you.

You'll need to wear this.

It's not chic,

but it's clean.

Great, thank you.

You're a good person,

Mrs. Willis.

Yeah, well, don't let

that get around, okay ?

I'll see you soon.

I thought you

weren't hiring.

I'm not.

Now.

Do I smell smoke ?

Well, where there's smoke,

there's dinner.

Who's gonna

stay with us ?

Well, I think Miles is

responsible enough

for that now.

Do I get paid, too ?

One thing at a time.

And, Miles, I'm really

counting on you.

You are in the fifth grade

and you're old enough.

Should be in sixth.

We've been

through all that.

I held you back so you could

take better care of yourself.

And not get beat up

by bullies.

Mel, less talk,

more eat, please.

Okay, I'm gonna give you

the number of the cafe.

If you need me,

you go to the office

and you use the pay phone,

okay ?

Okay.

Here you go.

I love you.

You got change ?

Yeah.

No story tonight ?

I'll tell you

two tomorrow.

Come here, sweetie.

Say bye-byes.

Bye-bye !

I love you, oh.

She might need to

go to bed early.

Okay, bye.

( Mel )

Love you.

Call me if you

need anything.

Mama trusts you.

She's not my mom.

She is now.

No, she just married my dad,

that's all.

( Lilee )

She's my mommy, too.

( bells jingling )

Hey, take a picture,

it'll last longer !

Martha, right ?

Uh, yeah.

Lola.

Hi.

Welcome.

Thank you.

Oh, and don't mind them.

The only thing

they like looking at better

than a new woman in town

is a new tractor.

Oh.

Trudy likes all of us

to wear those.

Oh, yeah, all of us.

Yeah, you, me,

and me and you.

Yeah, right.

You catch on quick.

That's a first around here,

an actual IQ.

Thank you.

Where can

I put my stuff ?

Just in back.

All right, thank you.

You know what we need ?

No, and I don't

want to.

A tree.

It's almost Christmas.

Why ?

There won't be any

Ch-Ch-Christmas for us.

Yes, there will.

Have it by

the door.

How would we open it ?

Oh, yeah.

By the bed ?

F-f-forget the stupid tree

and go to sleep.

It's not stupid,

and you go to sleep.

You're not the boss of me.

I am tonight.

Then you have to

tell a story.

I don't know any.

You must know one.

Oh !

Here you go.

Trudy finally broke down

and hired a regular, huh ?

Jim, you no talk

like that.

I didn't mean

nothing by it.

Well, that's me, just

a broken-down regular.

Don't listen to him.

He's loco.

Yeah, well, I've never seen

anybody order enchiladas

smothered in gravy.

You ain't lived, darlin'.

I don't know

any stories, Mel.

Go to sleep.

Not even

a Christmas story ?

No.

All right,

then I'll tell you one.

It was Christmas Eve

a really long time ago,

so long ago

that it wasn't even

called Christmas yet.

It's always been called

Chr-Christmas.

Not the first one.

His name was Joe.

That's what

people called him.

It was short for Joseph.

Aye !

And she was Mary

and she was

going to have a baby

and all the animals they

passed knew who she was.

Give me a break.

And when Mary

and Joe passed by them,

the sheep would go "baaa"

and the donkey went

"hee-haw,"

and the dog, "woof."

I know how animals sound.

That was because

the animals knew

her baby was

going to be very special.

He was going to be the most

special baby ever born.

He was going to be a king,

but nobody

knew it yet

and he was going to

save people.

Good people, bad people,

kids, grownups--

everybody.

( Martha )

I thought my marriage

was made in heaven.

Well, marriages

are made in heaven,

but so is thunder

and lightning.

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