Christmas Lodge Page #4

If you can get his glasses.

Christmas Lodge! I remember

it like it was yesterday.

Yeah!

I remember it like it was yesterday.

Look at your grandmother,

she's as pretty as

the day I married her.

I miss her.

Did you tell her I said hello?

Of course.

And what did she say?

Well, she said to give you

that photo as a reminder

of how much she loves you.

Where did you get that?

We were hiking, Kent and I, and

we just stumbled onto the lodge.

You didn't stumble on anything!

Mavis wanted you to go there.

She's strong willed you know.

She sent you there for a reason.

What reason Grandpa?

Time will tell.

Betty.

Could you get that box

from out of that basket?

Oh, this is beautiful.

I made it myself.

The timber comes from a

beam I replaced at the lodge.

Can I open it?

Wow. Grandpa these photos are priceless,

how come you haven't shown them to me before?

Who's that right there?

That's me and your grandmother!

You knew Grandma when you were kids?

I met her and her family at the lodge.

Really?

Our families became fast friends.

I knew she was gonna be my girl

the first time I laid eyes on her.

She's so beautiful.

That's an understatement.

Beauty's only half the story.

No one could sled, or

skate or make a snowman

like your grandmother.

And in the summer, she could climb the

steepest rock-face like a mountain goat.

And she stared down all manner

of mountain lions and bears

until they ran off

crying like little babies.

You remind me of her, always have.

Nothing stops either of you.

What is this one right here?

The Rands let me and

Mavis run the kitchen,

- Really?

- And we had a fine time of it.

At Christmas time, we

made the biggest feast

this side of Kansas City.

Oh, Mavis knew exactly what to do.

I was her apprentice.

We worked like clockwork together and...

That time you and Grandma

took Cathy and I to the picnic,

I was such a brat!

- Betty? When did you leave?

- 1963.

Mary, it's getting late.

Yeah. Okay Grandpa.

Thank you for reminding

me how joyous life can be.

The life that you have led

at Christmas Lodge, I...

What I wouldn't give for

another Christmas up there.

I'll be here any time

you want to open this box

and go back with me.

- Promise?

- Promise.

Love you Grandpa.

Love you too kid.

Hey! You look like a woman on a mission.

I am. Listen, what are

you doing this weekend?

Oh, the usual glamour stuff, cleaning

gutters and mulching trees. Why?

What do you say about

a trip to the mountains?

Oh, no, no-I thought we settled

this Christmas Lodge issue.

Okay, we did. But Grandpa,

he just set me straight.

I'm not just gonna sit

around and watch it collapse.

There's too much of us in it,

and Jack... he deserves to

continue his family's legacy.

What about the cost?

Don't worry about the cost,

I will take care of the cost.

You just tell the boys

that we are going on a trip.

Oh, and if they don't wanna go?

Well then you remind them that you're

their father, and their boss. Okay?

Good night.

I do not know how you

manage all those people.

The carpenters, the plumbers, the

electricians, the drywall crew,

the city inspectors. The phone

rang' and rang, and rang, and rang!

Good morning! But you

kept it all in order?

Well, of course. But I didn't like it.

It gets easier with practice.

So, where is it?

Oh, no... Kent did not propose.

You mean I did all that

filling in for you for nothing?

No! The trip, it was

fulfilling in an unexpected way.

Oh, Bob! Hi.

Yolanda! You did a great

job covering for Mary.

Everyone down at the Wharf

said you gave them everything

they needed to get their job done.

All I heard was grumbling.

That means they like you!

Keep up the good work.

Will do. I'll talk lo you later.

Yeah.

Did you recharge your batteries?

Oh, the mountains, they

always deliver. Listen Bob,

what do you know about grants

for renovating old lodges?

All my work's been in the

city but I would imagine

the basics are the same. Why?

Dad, can you get the phone?

I got it! It's been so long

since we got a call I thought

the phone was broken.

Hello! Christmas Lodge.

Jack! Hi, it's Mary. Mary Tobin.

Hello Mary Tobin.

Hey! Uh... listen, how's Charlene?

Uh... she's a trooper, she's um,

helping me fix a window as we speak.

Wow! She'll be a master

contractor one day.

Listen, I'm calling with good news.

Good news.

Wow' I haven't heard those two

words strung together in a long time.

Well, get ready. I told

my boss about the lodge,

and he is gonna ask the board

for a grant to reopen it.

And that's not all, my...

my father and my brothers,

they're licensed contractors

and they'd love to come by and take a

look at the lodge, and get an estimate

for the cost of your grant

application. So what do you think?

I... I don't know what to think.

Oh, you know... um, I didn't

mean to create a problem for you.

No, it's not a problem it's just that... well,

it's just that um, me and my family have always

looked after the lodge ourselves.

It's uh, it's a pretty big step for me.

Of course, I completely understand

and I want you to know that

we're here to advise you,

not to take over.

Nothing will be done

without your permission.

Thank you Mary.

Great! Um... I'll see you, Saturday?

Saturday it is.

Take care.

What did Mary say?

Uh, she said that she's

gonna come up with her family

and help fix up the lodge.

Really? You know, Grandma always said

that the Lord was looking out for

Christmas Lodge. You think she sent them?

Maybe. Maybe Charlene.

So um, how did, how did

Jack respond to your plan?

Well, mountain men,

they're pretty stubborn

but they are practical to

a fault, so he said yes!

So' when do you go back up there?

First thing tomorrow morning. You

know what, why don't you come along?

Kent.

Look Mary, you remember when I told you

it wasn't a rift? You like

the mountains and I like city?

Yeah.

I think I was wrong. I

can't go on pretending

I'm not cut out for that lifestyle.

I like to be in the middle of things

and you're happier as far

away from here as you can get.

And I don't think either one

of us should go on pretending.

Are you breaking up with me?

Oh, wow. I'm afraid so. Look,

I'd still like to be friends,

when you come back to the city.

You know what, okay... I'll um, I'll

try to spend some more time here and...

You'd, you'd be miserable and... I just

don't think that's good for either of us.

I should go.

Isn't there any way

we could work this out?

We're just... we're on

different trails, Mary.

Different trails that don't

go to the same destination.

But...

I'm, I'm sorry.

Because you're a smart, intelligent,

beautiful, adventurous woman

and you won't settle

for less in a partner.

Mom, Kent... he was, he was

smart, and he was handsome...

But he wasn't adventurous.

It took a lot of strength for

him to recognize the truth,

that you were holding each other back

from the life you were meant to lead.

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