Coming Home for Christmas Page #4

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of something...

Like anything is possible.

That pond was always

my favorite part of ashford.

Actually, it was the only thing

i liked about it.

If you don't mind my asking,

why don't you want to be here,

Robert?

It's Christmas.

You ask a lot of questions,

and, uh, my answer

is that it's just complicated.

I know

there's stuff from the past,

but Christmas is the time

when we get to let everything go

and just be.

Well, you have

to see it here today...

With all the silver accents

going up...

Yeah, that sounds great.

Pull that file for me

when you get up to the office

and call me back.

[Music plays]

[Music playing]

[Laughter]

[]

[]

It's really starting

to come together,

don't you think?

You ready?

Wow.

i... I...

I would compliment you,

but words escape me,

and that never happens.

Thank you,

but there's really no need to,

seeing as how

this is a business meeting.

Right, of course.

Well, after you.

Robert!

Kip.

You decided to come

home for Christmas.

Yeah.

um...

There's a lot of work

to be done here anyway,

so...

I'm glad.

[Kip]:

yeah, it's great news.

We're all beyond thrilled,

but we have, uh,

reservations to get to,

so we'll have

to catch up later.

Okay, big brother?

-Bye.

-bye.

Here, I'll get

the door.

[Lizzie]:

so...

What's after the holidays?

Athens.

Oh.

Ah, they have some

of the most incredible

architectural feats

in the world,

and growing up at ashford,

i knew I had to see it.

I had to see the museums.

I had to see the ruins.

I had to see everything.

Experiencing other cultures

through

their artistic expression.

That's exactly

how I feel about it.

That's why I majored

in art history.

Well, you think

it's fascinating in books?

It doesn't even compare

to seeing it in person.

Oh, I bet.

I'll have to take your word

for it, though.

I haven't traveled much.

There's so much to see

in the world, Lizzie.

I even carry my passport

in my back pocket sometimes.

In case you need

to leave the country

at a moment's notice?

Sure.

Hey, you never know

when you have to bolt

in the middle

of the night...

[Laughs]

Or, hey,

maybe you get invited

to Athens or something.

Oh! oh, what?

What's wrong?

Oh, I'm so sorry.

No, I...

They... they...

They put me in this room

because it was

close to pippa,

and weren't coming

home for Christmas.

No, no, no, no.

It makes...

Um, I...

I should have talked to Gerard

about the room arrangements.

I'm the one who should be sorry.

I will go somewhere else.

No, no, no,

no, no, no.

It makes sense

that you'd be in here.

Um, I'll just go

to one of

the guest rooms.

I'll, um...

I'll leave you to it.

No, no, no,

that's okay.

I wasn't here long enough

to unpack...

Much.

So, uh...

How was your dinner

with my brother?

It was a tasting

for the Christmas Eve gala.

But it became a date.

No, absolutely not.

That would be inappropriate.

No, no, I'm...

I'm here to work.

We kept it all about the food.

Trust me, to kip,

it was a date.

That guy goes zero to 60

faster than a Tesla,

which he has one of those,

corvette,

Maserati, Ferrari...

All paid for

by the estate.

Must have cost him tonight,

though,

climbing to the top

spot at strozzi.

Look, the food was great,

but if it was a date...

And I don't

think it was...

Ah...

I would prefer

something more creative,

like spending $20, Max.

Well, that would

require imagination.

Yes, it would.

It's... it's a challenge

my mother gave my father

on their first date.

And what did he do for $20?

Well,

my mother loves grilled cheese,

so he bought some ingredients,

and they had

a grilled cheese cook-off.

[They laugh]

He said, "if you're going

to make it a challenge,

I'm going

to make it a challenge."

She said

that that was the night

she knew

he was the one for her.

Hmm. so who won?

They both did.

Hmm.

Well...

It's an

interesting challenge.

I'm going to have

to think about it.

[Clears throat]

Uh...

Good night, Lizzie.

Good night.

Um, it looks...

Festive.

Uh, the whole house does.

It's, uh...

Mm...

Beautiful?

Mm... hmm....

Comforting?

Mm.

Warm?

Uh, unusual.

[They laugh]

You know

what your problem is?

You haven't done Christmas

right.

Christmas wasn't

a very happy time for us

after my parents, uh...

You know,

here at ashford,

it's, uh, it's all

about appearances.

Throw an extravagant party,

spend a few hours

with guests and colleagues,

get in the newspaper,

and then go

your separate ways.

Hmm.

Well, it's never too late

to start new traditions.

[Laughs]

Yes, my family

takes decorating

very seriously...

And food as well, so...

This is the best

of both worlds.

I give you

the popcorn garland.

[Munching]

[Laughs] it's for

the garland.

Oh, okay.

Popcorn garland.

Yeah.

Through here?

Slowly. nice.

You're a natural.

You know,

usually we have the staff

do all the sewing, but...

[Lizzie]:
well, why should

they have all the fun?

[They laugh]

[Kip]:

fun?

I like fun.

What are we doing?

Oh, this is popcorn garland.

Ooh!

Yeah, join us.

Sure.

[Meg]:
the crown molding

throughout is original,

and the chandelier

is quite exquisite.

Everything in this house is.

Now, let's head upstairs.

I'll just take

a little of this.

Hey, stop, stop, stop.

I've been working

on this.

So uptight.

Well, you're ruining

my popcorn garland.

Yeah.

Hey, I had a fun

time last night.

Kip...

Don't be inappropriate,

all right?

Lizzie is just trying

to do her job.

Oh...

Robert, you may be the

executor of the estate,

but you're not

the executor of me.

[Robert chuckles]

You see, Robert here,

he calls the shots,

and we just go along

for the ride.

Oh...

Yeah, you don't have

any problem with that

when you're cashing the checks,

do you, kip?

I've told him

he can come work with me

whenever he wants.

Oh, that's nice.

Work for you, not with you.

Until you learn

the ropes,

yes, kip.

There's a learning curve.

And again,

I'm not interested.

You've done enough

calling the shots all my life,

and now you're

selling the house?

And pippa?

I haven't seen pippa

like this in I don't...

-Uncle Robert!

-Hey!

Uncle kip!

There they are,

my boys!

Oh!

-Who's hungry?

-[Both]:
Me!

There's popcorn here,

but look out, there's a shark.

Two trains, three delays,

and one case of motion sickness,

but we are finally here.

Hallelujah.

Where is the wine?

And who might you be?

Uh, this is Lizzie,

our new house manager.

And you're still here

after three weeks!

Wow, that's

refreshing.

I'm Sloane, the little sister.

Where's grandmother?

Uh, hello.

Hi.

Uh, she's

upstairs.

She hasn't really come

out of her room lately.

[Sloane]:

hmm, I wonder why.

Mm-hmm.

Well, do you want

to go see her?

-Yes.

-okay.

Uh, boys?

You want

to go see pippa?

Yeah!

All right, grab some popcorn,

and let's go.

[Robert]:

hey, careful, okay?

Don't get that everywhere.

You got...

[Kip]:
come on!

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