A Christmas Wish Page #4

a call and we'll see.

Thanks, Pastor.

Now, listen,

you and the children

are more than welcome

to join us at church.

Oh, I don't know.

I don't know if

your church would

still be standing

if I stepped in.

A real sinner, huh ?

Just a slow learner.

Well, listen, we're all

a little slow around here,

so you'll fit right in.

But it was a very special

Christmas tree.

"A magical tree," some said.

The only one

of its kind.

A special tree that bloomed

for the first time

when Mary's

child was born.

That's the kind of tree

we need.

But it wasn't

like any other tree.

This tree only bloomed on

Christmas Day

and the second

Christmas Day was over,

it disappeared for a whole

other year.

It doesn't sound like any

Chr-Chr-Christmas tree

I've ever seen.

That's because

it's in Bethlehem.

They have different

trees there.

A Christmas tree

is a Christmas tree.

I liked your story,

Jeanie.

Thank you, Mel.

Now you little ones

go to sleep.

A-a-another day at school.

Yep.

( sighing )

Not again !

Go in.

All right.

Hi.

Hi.

Got a minute ?

Actually,

I was gonna call you.

Oh, it's no problem,

it was on my way.

Listen, I talked

to Clarice Miller.

She said that she'd consider

renting it out for six months.

Really ?

How much ?

I can't afford that.

I figured that.

So, if you're interested,

she'll let you clean her house

once a week

and take off 150 a month.

350 ?

I know it's difficult for you

living by yourself

and having three kids.

No, what's difficult

is living on my own

with three kids

in a motel room.

Tell her I can't pay her

'til after Christmas.

I told her.

She'll hold it for you through

the first week of January.

Oh, you thought of

everything.

I'll let her know.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Hark the herald

angels sing

Glory to

the newborn king

Peace on earth

and mercy mild

God and sinners

reconciled

I want my burgers

medium-well.

I hate soggy burgers.

Okay, how do you

want your eggs ?

From a chicken.

Right.

No fish eggs.

How do you want 'em ?

On a plate.

Raw ?

Over... easy.

Okay.

Uh, toast ?

White.

Not whole wheat

or all that multigrain crap

that I feed the hogs.

How about to drink ?

Oh, I don't know.

Coffee, black.

I do my own sugar.

If I had a spoon.

And some ketchup.

Hmm.

( dog barking )

Stay, stay

Stay

'Tis the eve

of souls pray

Hi.

Come in.

So how are you

holding up ?

Oh.

On No-Doz and Scotch tape.

Sometimes I get tension

headaches.

Oh.

You should do what it says on

the aspirin bottle.

What's that ?

Take two aspirin,

keep out of

the reach of children.

( laughing )

Yeah.

You do really need to

get some rest, though.

Yeah, I will.

As soon as I get the kids fed

and then to school.

And... then

the baby's up, so...

Hmm, Lola told me

all about it.

He left you nothing ?

Just the kids.

But the girls, you know,

they're doing great.

They're okay.

It's...

Miles is struggling a bit.

His only biological

parent left him.

Oh, he's not yours ?

He is now.

Well, there's

only one thing you can do.

What's that ?

Love him.

Even when he

doesn't want you to.

Which is most of the time.

Yeah, he has no problem

reminding me

that I am not his mother.

He was really hurt

when his dad left him.

He's better off.

Amen.

Amen.

Now I sound like Mel.

She's our little

believer.

She's absolutely

convinced that...

Jesus is gonna make

everything okay

because Christmas is here.

Ah, the faith of a child.

I don't really have much

Christmas spirit myself.

Why's that ?

My husband

died at Christmas.

Oh.

I'm sorry.

He was

the love of my life.

We were married 43 years

and we hardly

spent a day apart.

He was always underfoot,

you know, like a kid

and then one day,

he just up and dies on me

at Christmas Eve.

I'm sure

he didn't want to.

Well, I mean to ask him

about that...

when I see him up there.

Do you believe in

up there ?

I suppose.

I'm still pretty upset

with God

for taking him from me.

Maybe you can tell him

that when you see him.

I should have sold this place

a long time ago,

but it's the only

thing I have left of Sam.

We did really well

for a while.

Sam made

the best root beer.

I wanna show you

something.

Come on.

It's been ten years.

Since you've

been in here ?

No.

Since Sam's

last batch of root beer.

I really don't know why

I've kept it all so long.

Maybe you're keeping it to

possibly make another batch.

No, Sam

made the root beer.

Well, with Sam gone,

there just doesn't seem

much of a point,

no matter what

Reverend Meyer says.

Oh, you know what ?

He-- he said he might have

a place for us to rent.

Where ?

Um, the Miller house ?

Clarice Miller ?

The Brazilian buzz saw ?

I haven't met her.

She is like

one of those fish

that live in the Amazon River,

you know, the one

with teeth and they--

Oh, a piranha ?

That's her.

All teeth and all mouth

and the only

thing she cares about

is herself and money.

Oh.

How much ?

350, but I have to

clean for it.

Get it in writing.

What are those there ?

Oh, well, that's some junk

I was gonna get rid of.

Can I have it ?

It's junk.

How about these ?

Go ahead.

Thank you.

Hey, how'd it go ?

Well, we're getting

used to each other.

Okay, good.

Here, I made a few extra tips

than usual last night

and here you go.

What's this ?

My I.O.U.,

signed and dated.

You didn't

need to do that.

I trust you.

Well, it's not

a matter of trust,

it's a matter of

integrity.

I'm just so grateful

that you're helping me out

on your nights off.

Well, it's helping

me too, you know ?

I'm getting homework done,

not spending

as much money as I used to.

Great.

Okay, good.

I just wanted

to let you know,

I didn't know about it until

it was too late.

What ?

Well, I fell asleep

around midnight,

and when I woke up this

morning to feed the baby,

it was already there.

But I gotta go !

Bye !

It was there ?

( sighing )

It kinda

grows on you, huh ?

I still need

some more colors.

Why, Mel ?

Isn't Christmas

without a tree.

But we don't own this room.

We're gonna be here

for Christmas.

Isn't it wonderful ?

( sighing )

You have to erase it.

A permanent marker.

Where did you get

colored markers ?

School.

I just borrowed 'em.

You said we can't

afford a real one.

Besides, I think

this is better.

Don't you ?

Permanent markers.

Are you gonna

take us to school ?

( sighing )

We're gonna have to

talk about this later, Mel.

You can help,

if you want.

Get in the car.

I-- I'm not

going anywhere.

Did you see his lip ?

He uses your

makeup to cover it.

Shut up, Mel.

Oh, Miles, we're going to

the principal.

I'm-- I'm not ratting.

It's not ratting when

somebody beats you up.

One punch isn't

getting beat up.

Why didn't you tell me ?

They called me

a stuttering four-eyes

and that isn't

gonna change.

We'll talk about this

on the way.

Come on.

No.

Miles, get in

the car now !

We-we're not

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