Married by Christmas Page #2

---

- Hi, Mom.

Hi, honey. Dinner is served.

[sighs]

Hope they don't sit us

in the kids' table.

[laughs] He's such a jokester.

Ethan, I totally love that you're growing

some of the vegetables or whatever.

But, Katie, when am I going to get you

to accept an Emerson Food contract?

Uh, well, you know, I really am

trying to be more farm-to-table.

What are... It's not like we sell

vegetables grown in outer space.

I just like to have a relationship

with the farmers that I buy from.

- Mm. Clearly, you do.

- Okay.

Is this a really appropriate

Thanksgiving dinner conversation?

Fine. Fine, no business

talk at the table.

That's right. You promised.

So what is this surprise you

have for us, Miss Katie?

Hm... -[Carrie gasps]

You're pregnant, aren't you?

- Oh, Katie! Are you?

- [Carrie] What?

No! You are terrible! -[Ethan]

Come on, Katie, we can tell 'em.

We will tell them at the right

moment and not a second sooner.

Ooh. Practically perfect

Katie has a plan.

Perpetually pesky Carrie

will annoy her older sister.

And in the meantime, my

Turducken is getting cold.

That's right.

Shall we call a truce, girls?

Fine. Only in the name

of warm Turducken.

- Mm-hm! To warm Turducken!

- [Bitsy] Hear! Hear!

To my warm Turducken.

- Mom!

- I've always loved your warm Turducken, darling.

- Oh, stop!

- Jesus!

Dad!

[indistinct conversation]

[fork dings on glass]

I would like to say something.

I am full of

gratitude this year.

My restaurant is

doing magnificently.

I have a loyal and gracious staff.

They are just so talented.

And I am so very inspired.

I'm thankful for my family.

You all have offered nothing

but love and support.

And I am very, very thankful

for this divine man

sitting right here.

I know I told you all

that I have a surprise,

so clear your calendars

for Christmas Eve

because you are invited

to a holiday wedding!

- [gasps]

- We're engaged!

- [all laughing, shouting]

- Oh, my Katie!

Oh, congratulations!

Wonderful!

I never would have guessed!

- Oh!

- You'll be the most beautiful bride!

- Mom, thank you!

- Welcome to the family. Okay!

All right!

- Yeah. I already knew.

- You know everything.

[Carrie] Okay, so this

one right here?

[Bitsy] I think it looks darn

close to perfect, don't you?

- I think so.

- Oh! Is the game over, boys?

- Don't ask.

- I'm sorry, honey. But you know what?

I'm really glad you're here,

'cause I could use your help.

Hi.

Girls, Ethan. Your mother

and I have something

we'd like to discuss with you.

Maybe we should have

some more eggnog first.

Uh-oh! Mom's plying us with

alcohol and hospitality, Katie.

- It must be serious.

- Dad, please don't let this

be some ridiculous family

initiation for Ethan.

I've only just secured

his undying love.

Don't make him

regret the decision.

We just need to discuss

some family business.

Um, it's about your grandmother.

- What's wrong with Nana?

- Nana's fine.

No, your grandmother Lucille, about her...

about her will, actually.

Her will?

Mark? Okay.

God, I don't know

how to say this. Okay.

My mother had some very strong

feelings about certain things,

like gender roles.

She was just...

- Old-fashioned?

- Yes.

[laughs] Stiff as a

board is more like it.

One time she took us slip shopping

because a proper young lady

never leaves the house... -[both]

Without appropriate undergarments!

Do you remember when she made us learn how

to fold the napkins into little swans

- and we'd chuck them off the balcony?

- Swan dive!

- Swan dive!

- Okay, girls. Please, please.

Okay, just let me

get through this.

So when Daddy died, he left the

company entirely to my mother,

who didn't believe that women

should be involved in business,

so when she passed, she didn't

leave the company to me.

She left it to... one of you.

Which one of us?

She had a provision in her will

that whichever one

of you marries first,

the company would immediately

go to that daughter's husband.

- Mom, that's not funny.

- I know.

- It's really not.

- Dad, come on.

- Honey, please. Please.

- What?!

Why didn't you

tell us about this?

Because I did not want

to spark some sort of

competition between

the two of you.

What does...

what does this mean?

Well, it means that after

you and Ethan get married,

legally...

Ethan will own Emerson Foods.

Okay, this is ridiculous! There has

to be something we can do about this!

Believe me, I under...

We have tried.

We have been to so many

attorneys over the years.

This is so unfair! Dad, come on!

[Katie] Okay, Carrie

has worked so hard.

- Emerson Food is her dream.

- Thank you.

I don't want the company.

This isn't right.

- Carrie, I will give it to you.

- Okay.

Katie, let's just think

about this for a minute.

[Carrie] What is that

supposed to mean?

[Ethan] I just don't think

Katie should be so hasty.

This is a big deal, and maybe

everybody should sleep on it

before we make

any big decisions.

You don't have

to make any decisions!

None of this has

anything to do with you!

Well, apparently, I do.

- Okay, um...

- This is exactly what I didn't want to have happen.

I am so sorry, honeys.

We have tried on this,

but our hands are tied.

[Katie] Carrie,

we can figure this out.

That's really easy

for you to say.

Honey, I know why you're angry.

You have every right...

[Ethan] We're gonna get through

this. Okay? We're gonna be okay.

Everything's gonna be fine.

Nothing's set in stone.

The whole point of this conversation is

that it's set in stone! Be quiet, please!

Carrie, stop yelling at Ethan!

- Katie, just let her get it out.

- You know what? No!

You know what? Never mind.

Why don't we all

just decorate for Christmas!

Oh, everyone!

Be careful, don't put

Mrs. Santa above Santa.

We wouldn't want her to get

any ideas about taking over.

Really, Dad?

Honey...

Dad!

Mr. Courtney.

- Mark Tate.

- Dylan Courtney. Pleasure.

- Hi, Carrie Tate.

- Hi, Carrie. Pleasure.

This is... you already

met... my assistant.

- We didn't shake. Soft.

- Oh!

- Can we offer you some coffee?

- No, I'm fine. Thank you.

- Okay.

- All right, that's...

- Oh, okay, all right. Bye!

- Oh. Bye.

I'm... I'm sorry. I thought that I was

speaking with Tom or Marilyn today.

No, the Rowlings retained

me as independent counsel.

- I see.

- Shall we begin?

Oh, of course.

First off, just let it be

known that the only reason

why the Rowlings are doing this is because

they want to secure their employees' jobs.

I mean, they never wanted to

be swallowed by a bigger fish.

Well, Emerson Foods

is a family company.

It is. A very big family company

with a very different vision.

What exactly do

you mean by that?

Well, it means the Rowlings

are a little gun-shy

about being co-opted

by a company

who could turn their

100-year-old family vineyard

into something that

slings wine coolers.

I understand, and

I agree, actually.

But they'd rather die on their

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes