Original subtitles

Oh, good. You're back.

I think I miscounted a few of the rolls.

How many are we off?

Four boxes don't have rolls.

Okay.

You know what?

I can pull from these and rebalance everything.

Or...

I picked this up at the bakery

on my way back from getting ribbon at the craft store.

Please tell me that's for me.

It was for us,

but I think I found a better use.

You know, there was a time you would have started

from scratch, just so everything matched.

I don't care about it matching.

I just care that it means something.

Final numbers on the downtown project.

Three buildings restored.

Didn't lose a single business.

We actually did it.

Best feeling there is, especially this time of year.

Just need your signature, boss.

Thank you for all your hard work, Mark.

Hey, thanks for letting everyone take

Christmas break a day early.

It's as much for me as it is for you guys.

So we'll see you at the men's breakfast

after the holidays?

If I survive this week, then, yeah, I'll be there.

I'm sure it won't be as awkward as you think.

Says the man who's been happily married

for years without a hitch.

Without a hitch, huh?

Huh.

Ruby will get a kick out of that.

I just mean, this might be an opportunity.

An opportunity for what?

Well, you remember that verse you said

really spoke to you last week.

"Forget the former things, do not dwell on the past."

"See, I am doing a new thing."

So, maybe this is an opportunity

for you and Anna to finally bury the hatchet

so you can do new things in life.

Just something to think about.

Merry Christmas, buddy.

Merry Christmas, Mark.

Come in.

You wanted to see me before I left?

Hi, Lisette. Yeah. Um...

Would you...

I'm sorry. Um

would you mind taking a look at this over the break?

Okay.

Uh, this-this isn't my department.

I know. I, uh, I trust your instincts.

Just

call me once you've had a chance to look it over.

Okay. I will.

James,

don't stay here all night.

No, I won't. I promise.

Two minutes on table six.

Let the sauce breathe.

Beautiful work everyone.

Just one more touch.

Yikes!

Right? Those lights aren't doing the place justice.

We gotta change them out.

Anna, we're in an industrial kitchen.

It doesn't have to feel like one.

Let me ask you something. Did the honey glazed ham burn?

What? No.

Rosemary rose run dry, cranberry sauce curdle?

No. Ky, what are you talking about?

Everything's perfect.

Exactly.

So why are you suddenly acting completely different?

What do you mean?

You're tweaking things that don't need tweaking.

Now I get it.

This is about going to the cabin, isn't it?

It's the first time we'll be going there together

as a family since the divorce.

It's a lot more stressful than cranberry sauce curdling.

Yeah. James shouldn't still have this effect on me.

You were married to him for almost 20 years.

Give yourself some grace.

I know. It's frustrating because I'm not that person anymore.

Trust me, I know.

Remember the whole cake situation earlier?

Yeah, it's just being around him

makes me feel like I need to make everything...

Feels like it belongs on a Christmas card.

You have peace that surpasses all understanding, remember?

I do. You're right.

Repeat that to yourself anytime you feel overwhelmed.

And look, I'll have my phone on ring the entire week.

Your sous chef in the kitchen and in life.

Thanks, Kylie.

You know, I'm gonna take you up on that.

It's just one more Christmas.

And for what it's worth, I think it's really special

you both are doing this for Megan.

Mm.

Yeah. She really wants Mikey and James and me

to meet her new boyfriend.

She said it's getting really serious.

Apparently, his family lives near our cabin,

so it just made sense.

Oh. Delivery guy is here to pick up the meal donations.

Thanks for the pep talk.

You got it.

Hey, son. I was just about to call you.

Yeah. I can't wait to see you, too.

Last two.

All right, we've got them all. Thanks again, Anna.

The Church will hand these out tonight.

Oh. Anything I can do to help.

Thank you.

- Merry Christmas. - Merry Christmas.

Hey, Mom.

I can't wait for Christmas at the cabin.

And for you to meet Ben. You are going to love him.

Okay. I am walking into my last final.

Love you. I will see you in two days.

So excited for us to be together.

Thanks for the reminder.

I can do this.

All right.

Who wants some hot cocoa?

Candy cane cocoa!

You guys must be freezing.

James, I thought you were gonna help him

build a snowman?

I was just, uh...

Oh, gloves, honey, gloves.

I'm fine, I promise.

I think she's all right, Anna.

You're not really building a snowman

unless you get your hands cold.

Frosty Joe needs a hat.

And arms.

James...

I've got it, guys.

Nobody knows how to build a memory like your mom.

You know, what we ought to do next year.

We should get here a little bit early

so you have more time to get ready.

Build that into the work calendar right now.

James, that's a whole year away.

Just enjoy being with us right now.

James, are you listening to me?

Snowball fight!

Oh! Snowball fight!

All right, hold on, hold on.

I'm going to get you!

- Oh, you're going down. - Dad, come join!

Incoming!

Just one sec, just keep going.

You're getting hit.

Hi.

What are you doing later?

I'm taking a Christmas-themed spin class.

It's called Jingle Bell Burn.

Come with me.

Oh, I-I can't.

Why not?

Wait. Don't tell me you drove up there a day early.

You did, didn't you?

Anna! You're really falling into old patterns here.

I know.

I-I just needed a day to be here alone

to get the cabin set up so I can feel confident.

We talked about this.

I love you, and I don't know

if this went in one ear and out the next, but you're just

trying to make everything feel perfect

- so nothing falls apart. - Ky. Shh.

What?

I think someone came in.

Who? The wet bandits?

I'm not kidding. I'm serious.

What? Should I call 911?

What? What?

Oh!

Oh! You scared me.

You scared me. What are you doing here?

Ky, I'm fine. It's not the wet bandits.

It's just my ex-husband.

I'll call you later, bye.

I hate to say I told you so.

I thought I'd get here a day early.

So did I.

Why?

I just was in the area,

and I wanted to check on a couple things

before everyone got here.

You were in the area?

Sort of.

Which is James' speak for,

I'm not gonna get there without a plan.

Old habits die hard, I guess.

Speaking of which,

I could see that the place is already cozy

in Anna fashion.

Great. We're both ridiculous.

Without a question.

What to do now?

Rain wasn't in the forecast.

Anna, you were married to this man for almost 20 years.

You can handle a few hours alone.

You're gonna go out there

and you're gonna act like a normal human being.

Nope.

It's just one day,

and then the kids will be here and everything will be fine.

Get it together.

You've really got to stop doing that.

That doesn't sound good.

I don't love the idea

of the kids driving up in this tomorrow.

I don't either.

Calling for an ice storm, could be in by tonight.

They're probably fine,

but I just want to make sure they aren't already packing up

and rushing out.

Oh, it's like she read my mind.

I'll check with Mikey.

Hi, honey. Are you okay?

Are you keeping warm?

Yeah, yeah, Mom.

The weather here is totally fine,

but have you seen the reports for Townsend?

Yeah, there's a freak ice storm warning.

Which is weird. It wasn't even supposed to snow.

I'm so sad none of us can make it to the cabin tomorrow.

But, hey, I guess on the bright side, at least you and dad

aren't stuck at the cabin during an ice storm.

Yeah. About that.

What?

We're already at the cabin.

Wait, what? You are? Both of you?

Your dad and I both have the genius idea

of coming up a day early.

Oh, Mom, I'm sorry. This is all my fault.

I just-I wanted us all to be together for Christmas,

and now you and dad are...

Hey, hey, hey. This is not your fault.

And we'll be fine.

Yeah. Besides, those weather reports are always

so much more extreme than they turn out to be.

It hasn't snowed like this in Tennessee

in what, 10 years?

It's probably gonna end up being a rainstorm

with a bunch of dramatic headlines.

Yeah. Yeah, okay.

So we can still spend Christmas together then?

Yes, of course.

We'll celebrate Christmas tomorrow, the next day,

whenever the roads allow.

Okay. Yeah. That sounds-that sounds great.

I gotta go, but, uh, I love you.

I love you, too, honey.

Bye -Bye.

Yeah, but don't worry.

I'll call you as soon as the roads are open.

I'm sure we'll all be together in no time.

Talk soon, Mikey.

It's gonna be fine.

Yeah.

Another update on the ice storm impacting

in Blount and Sevier Counties.

Officials are asking everyone to stay off the roads.

This is not a one-night event.

Okay. It's a little more than rain.

Emergency management is telling residents and visitors

to plan on staying where you are

for at least the next day or two.

What?

Crews wait for conditions to improve.

Again, if you're in the area, do not attempt to leave.

Road closures will be announced within the next few days.

Much better ambiance.

I can't believe this is happening to me.

You? What about me?

Trust me, I would rather be stuck anywhere else rather than

Oh, no way!

What are you doing?

Finding you a hotel room with a generator,

heat and power.

I can hold down the fort here.

But they said no driving.

It's just into town.

The hotel's a minute down the road.

If I drive slow, it's safe enough.

I can drop you off. Come back here.

Oh.

Okay, then. Yeah, that would be great.

Thank you.

Okay. Found one.

Townsend Lodge. How can I help?

Hi. We're in a cabin down the road and we lost power.

I was calling about the room your site says is available.

It says there's one left.

I am sorry. That one's just sold.

Folks are snatching up anything with a generator

like it's the last cinnamon roll on Christmas morning.

Are there any cancellations?

There were, but since roads are closed,

nobody can check out.

We're full for at least the next few days.

Uh, well, okay. All right.

Thank you anyway.

No problem. You two stay safe and warm.

- Merry Christmas. - Merry Christmas.

I'm gonna grab some wood.

I'm gonna get a fire going before it gets any colder.

It's a good idea.

See you in a sec.

Right. No electricity means you.

Hm.

Hey you two.

Don't worry about us.

We'll get the cabin all ready for you when the storm passes.

Your only job is to stay put and drink something warm.

Love you.

Okay, so it is worse outside than it looks.

Uh, someone named Lisette is calling for you.

Not-not that I was looking at your phone.

It was just ringing here on the counter, and, um,

Lisette's calling.

Lisette, yeah. Uh, she works with me.

Great. Yeah. Love work.

Yeah, I-I should take this.

Yeah. You don't need my permission.

I'll start the fire right after.

Yeah.

Hey, Lisette...

Remember, I still have peace.

No, no, no, no, no.

I still have peace.

Okay, well

just let me know.

All right. Bye Lisette.

We need one more button.

Ah, one button to the rescue.

Thanks, Dad.

All right. Dad, take a picture.

Uh, okay. Yeah, yeah.

One sec, one sec.

Who wants hot cocoa?

Your hands must be freezing.

Candy cane cocoa!

James, why aren't you helping them build a snowman?

I was, just...

Oh, gloves. Honey gloves.

I'm fine, Mom. I promise.

I think she's all right.

You're not really building a snowman

unless you get your hands cold.

Maybe we need more blankets.

- Frosty Joe needs a hat. - And arms.

Yeah. Look, where Frosty got his...

I got that!

Right here. Right here.

Okay.

Nobody knows how to create a memory like your mom.

You know what we ought to do next year,

we should get here a little early,

just so that there's no stress at all.

I'm gonna make a note of that, just so you don't forget.

Why do you always have to think ahead?

Just be with us in the moment.

I was just trying to help.

- Snowball fight! - Ahhhh!

Whoa!

One second. Be right there

Anna came close.

Hey!

I want this moment to last forever.

Oh no, you're going down!

I am going to get you. Okay, this is a big one.

Hey, remember I said I'd take care of that.

I know, but you were on the phone, and I

I just wanted to get the cabin warmed up, but...

The fire won't start. The wood's too wet.

That's why I was looking for these.

There's more starters in the mudroom

that'll keep us warm

until the wood from outside dries out.

Sorry. I was just trying to.

Make everything perfect.

Old habits die hard.

Speaking of old habits.

Do I smell your famous candy cane cocoa?

Mm.

It's been a while since I had that.

I'm sorry. That was a dumb thing to say.

Of course I haven't had it.

No, I get it.

I mean, as if this week

wasn't going to be awkward enough.

This ice storm has really made it.

A lot more awkward.

Yeah.

Mark said this week might be an opportunity.

Who?

Oh, uh, Mark, he's a a guy from my men's Bible study.

Actually, we met at work,

but we became friends in Bible study.

Wait, you're in a men's Bible study?

Yeah.

Wow.

You're-you're the last person I thought would ever

join something like that.

Well, a lot has changed in five years.

Yeah, it has.

I'm actually a believer now, too.

Really?

Mmhmm.

What are the odds, huh?

Yeah, it's kind of crazy.

We were married all those years,

we never found our faith.

So why did Mark call this week an opportunity?

Well, he thought it might be a chance for us

to bury the hatchet, call a truce.

Didn't exactly end on the best note, you know.

I mean, it was amicable.

I've never had a candy cane thrown at me with such accuracy.

I'm sorry about that.

But we've been fine ever since.

Yeah, because we haven't had to be

in the same room much since.

Look, maybe this week doesn't have to go

the way we expected it.

I don't think anything's gone the way we expected.

Yeah. You know, you were dreading this week

as much as I was.

Oh, yeah, I totally was.

Look, we got a lot of history.

Some of it's great.

Some of it involves throwing candy cane grenades.

What do you say we just set it all down for now?

Get along.

Let's be on the same team this week.

I can do that.

In the spirit of the truce, I have a proposition.

I know you still care a lot about atmosphere,

especially for the kids.

I do.

I saw the boxed-up Christmas tree in the mudroom

ornaments and all.

What do you say we start there?

Decorate the tree,

get it all ready for them whenever they get here.

Make it feel like Christmas

together.

Yeah. I think I'd like that.

I forgot all this stuff was here.

Uh, where'd you find the Christmas pillows,

and the battery powered, twinkly lights

you put up in the living room, then?

Guilty.

I know we said a lot's changed over the last few years,

but one thing hasn't.

Oh. My muscles.

Mm.

This tree looks about as good as we left it.

You all right?

Totally.

Okay. Next up. Christmas ornaments.

Copy that. I will meet you in there.

Your muscles giving out on you in there?

Huh. Not a chance.

I can't believe you let me tag my name

on your stocking back then.

The neighbor's dog ate yours.

Yeah, but it's you, Anna.

My sloppy handwriting is not your usual aesthetic.

Why don't we just buy a new stocking?

Because of what you said.

What did I say?

I overheard you tell the kids that we could share one,

because Santa knew we were a package deal,

and we can't have mom without dad.

It was really sweet.

I didn't know that.

It's in the past now.

I've never seen this photo before.

Frosty Joe.

There's a blast from the past.

Definitely.

Do you think the kids are too old for this now?

Nah. You're never too old for Frosty Joe.

I'm pretty sure he's still holding

one of my buttons hostage.

Mm?

I was helping the kids build him,

when you were inside making cocoa.

They needed a button, so I gave them one of mine.

Oh, I didn't know that.

It's funny the things you miss.

Yeah.

I don't know about you, but I am starving.

I brought some stuff,

but I was planning on getting the rest of the market tomorrow.

So this is basically all we have.

Okay, then we improvise.

Did you just say improvise?

It's not grilled cheese bread.

It's cinnamon raisin bread.

Well, it is if you're improvising.

Holiday grilled cheese.

Cranberry. That's kind of genius.

Okay, we are gonna make this taste like Christmas.

Again, this is amazing.

It's got to be illegal to enjoy

cinnamon raisin grilled cheese this much.

Yeah, the soup is even better.

Who knew that a dash of eggnog would work so well?

Mhm.

You know, I think this is the first time

I've ever seen you enjoy winging it.

Or cook.

I guess I had to learn a bit of both the last few years.

It turns out

if you don't have Anna Campbell living in your house,

you either learn or you eat cereal for dinner.

Speaking of, you really did it.

The whole professional chef thing.

Yeah, eventually.

Eventually is a very Anna way of saying I work myself

to death until I could do it perfectly.

Okay, first of all, rude.

Second of all,

I'm not usually like that anymore.

I think just being here brought out that old side of me.

After we ended things

I couldn't keep doing the whole if I just make it perfect,

it'll be okay thing.

I realized that wasn't working.

I didn't know what to do with myself, so...

I started saying yes to things I'd normally say no to.

Oh, yeah?

Like what?

Like signing up for a pottery class

and letting my bowl be lopsided.

Going to a potluck

and not rearranging the entire room

and filling in to cook at a church kitchen.

That's where you find your faith?

Mmhmm.

Yeah. It was supposed to be one time,

but I kept going back,

and I thought it was because I was cooking.

I was doing what I loved, but it wasn't that.

It was...

It was the room.

It was the people in line, it was the volunteers, and

everyone just showed up as they were, you know,

they weren't trying to impress anyone.

And they invited me to do the same.

And that just did something to me, and...

I thought,

if God could love me without me having to earn it,

then maybe I didn't have to wait until I was perfect

to go after what he made me good at.

So I applied for the chef position,

I got the job, and I took it.

That's really awesome, Anna.

Thanks.

Uh...

Mine wasn't by choice, at first.

Um, it was a Tuesday. I was exhausted.

I was angry all the time, and I didn't want to be.

Mark, the guy I told you about, he, um

he was on a job site,

and he saw me at the end of the workday,

sitting alone in my car,

probably looking like the Grinch.

And he, uh, he invited me to breakfast the next morning.

I just-I thought it was a work thing.

The Bible study?

A men's breakfast.

I almost left immediately, but...

For some reason I couldn't.

The guys there, they were all just, uh,

really great.

They didn't try and fix me.

They just asked me how I was.

Actually waited for the answer.

I don't know, I just... I think that I had been

carrying around all of this stuff.

Pride,

guilt,

and, um

this was just the first time that I felt like

I could put it all down for an hour

and not worry about the future.

I'm out of soup.

You want more?

No, no. I'm good.

I think it's really great

that you said yes to that restaurant job.

And to God.

What are you doing? It's James.

James, what are you doing?

Ah, you will freeze if you sleep in here.

I'm moving this in by the fire so you can stay warm.

Well, what about you?

I'll take the couch if that's all right with you.

Yeah, of course.

I don't want you freezing to death.

Uh. Wow.

I, uh, I haven't worn this since our annual Christmas photo,

like 10 years ago.

Same.

I almost didn't pack it.

Me neither.

But these are the warmest ones I own.

Yeah, same.

I get this in by the fire before we both freeze.

Let me help you.

So

You still sleep with that sound machine app?

Is it gonna bother you?

I'll let it pass.

Just for tonight.

Do you still sleep with that ratty eye mask

you refuse to throw away?

Oh, yeah.

Still sleeping like a baby with it.

Can you imagine having to learn

and put up with someone else's habits again?

Yeah, that would take some adjusting.

I'm so used to doing things on my own now.

I don't think I could do it.

Do you?

Do I what?

Think you want to marry again?

I don't know.

So, are you dating anyone?

Sorry. I don't know why I asked that.

Long night. Filter's gone.

It's okay.

Good night, Anna.

Good night, James.

Not doing that again.

Oh, this is so much better than cereal.

Good morning.

Morning.

You're awfully chipper for someone

who's not a morning person.

Unless that's changed.

I am just glad the sun is out and that ice storm is over.

Seriously.

Hopefully the power comes back on soon.

It looks like it's getting warmer out there.

That's a good sign.

Yeah. Now that you're up, my phone is dead.

Would you try calling the kids to make a plan?

Yeah.

That might not be possible.

Is your phone dead, too?

No, I just can't get a signal.

It's possible the cell towers are down.

How are we gonna get a hold of Mikey and Megan?

I'm not sure.

It'd be helpful if I could find out what damage

is being reported in the area.

Mm.

The radio.

Huh.

Reporting live out of the Townsend area.

Bingo.

Major power lines are down across the region

and crews are stretched thin

responding to multiple outages.

Road conditions remain hazardous.

Fallen trees and debris are keeping several routes

into and out of the Smokies closed.

Even with temperatures warming up,

officials say it could be a few days

before power is fully restored.

Until then, cell service is down as well.

Bummer.

So if you're stuck inside listening somewhere,

the safest plan is to stay put, keep the coffee hot,

enjoy the company you're with.

We're in for a cozy Christmas this week.

This is terrible.

We're officially stuck here alone.

No offense this time.

Oh, none taken.

On the bright side,

it's a good thing we made a truce.

Got that going for us.

Just spent two hours wrapping pipes under sinks.

I think I used every towel in the place.

Nothing's burst yet, but, uh, I'm not taking any chances.

That's a good call.

I've cleaned the place twice.

Turned on some Christmas music to try to cheer us up.

But I keep thinking about the kids.

They're probably worried about us.

Yeah.

Oh, wow, look it's snowing.

Wow. I was so distracted, I didn't even realize it.

Looks like it's been coming down for a while.

You thinking what I'm thinking?

No one's too old for Frosty Joe.

You're kneading it like it's a dough.

I'm giving him structure.

Here.

I don't have a carrot, but I have this.

- Uh-oh! - Hey.

And this.

There.

Ah! Don't touch him!

It's crooked.

No. He's fine.

It's objectively not fine.

I think he's perfect.

And you're okay with that?

I like him just the way he is.

Uh... I, um...

I ought to get some wood chopped before the kids get here.

Right. Okay.

Sure.

Really?

I wasn't ready to be done yet. And you're a really easy target.

Maybe later.

I really ought to get this done before it gets much worse.

Right.

Of course.

I re-assessed the threat level.

Oh, don't start something you can't finish.

Oh, you better run.

Ah!

Ah!

Oh, the kids would have loved that.

Yeah, especially the part where you nailed me in the ear.

What?

Oh.

Oh.

So now what?

Well, honestly,

if we're gonna be stuck in here all day.

I think we're gonna go stir crazy.

Mm.

Yesterday, when I drove in, I saw the, um, community cabin.

It was still there.

Oh, the rec center. Of course.

That place has been there since my grandparents

bought this place.

Well, if memory serves,

it was basically just a smorgasbord

of kids' activities and board games.

Now that the snow is safe to walk on,

we could go see if we could find a good one.

Board games don't use power.

I'm down.

Plus, it'll be nice to walk outside.

I'll throw another log on the fire

so it's warm when we get back.

Oh.

Are you okay?

Uh, yeah, yeah.

Just think I'm in a toxic relationship

with that couch.

Oh, well, I can take the couch tonight.

You can have the mattress.

No, no, no, no, you're not sleeping on the couch.

James...

It's getting warmer.

I'll be fine in one of the bedrooms,

all bundled up.

That way, both our backs survive.

Okay. Deal.

Are you sure you're okay to walk?

I'm fine.

If I complain again, you can revoke my muscles card.

I don't know why I didn't wear a warmer coat.

I don't know why we thought this was a good idea.

Careful. Bend your knees. It might be a little bit icy.

- Oh! - Okay. Okay, okay.

I got you.

- I'm fine. - You sure?

- I am fine. - You wanna take my arm?

Uh, is your back okay?

I'm not complaining.

That's what taking good care

of your lady looks like right there.

- Hello. - Good morning.

I don't remember them. Do you?

They must be new.

Huh.

Hasn't changed a bit.

It's like going back in time.

Oh, here we go.

Okay, we've got grid lockers.

Oh, Bingo.

And Robo Rush.

Okay, that's a hard pass. Let's keep looking.

Oh, oh, oh!

I think I might have found something here.

Oh, hopefully it's not a game

we're gonna finish in 10 minutes.

Or one that will end in a giant fight.

We can play chess and not fight.

I'd hate to break the truce so soon.

First night we met, you beat me in 12 moves.

Oh, it wasn't that fast.

It was.

And the entire college campus watched you do it.

It's safe to say that we're both

a little out of hand being competitive.

But it would be such a shame

to just let this chess set sit there.

It would.

We-we kind of owe it to the game.

Mm.

Officially borrowed.

Okay, great.

I know this is not exactly gourmet.

It does go with our college chess days.

When in Rome.

Dinner of

champions.

You haven't won yet.

Emphasis on "yet".

I call green.

Fine.

You're doing that thing I hate.

What thing? Winning.

Being cocky.

No.

Pride goeth before the fall.

Did you just quote Proverbs in the middle of a chess game?

You're going down.

Yeah. How can you be so sure?

'Cause I know when I'm right.

Don't I know it.

What was that supposed to mean?

Nothing. I mean...

You're strong-willed. It's not a bad thing.

Didn't sound like a compliment, either.

Well, to be fair, once your mind's made up,

there's not a lot of room for debate or conversation.

The jury is made up.

I'm sorry-I'm sorry.

I didn't-I didn't mean anything by that.

No, I think you meant exactly what you said.

And maybe I decide I'm right in my mind,

because if I don't,

you'll cross-examine me until I'm not.

Cross-examine you?

I was only ever trying to find a solution to help you.

To help us.

Right.

But feelings slow down the process.

Well, you made it impossible to know your feelings!

As long as the candles were lit

and the napkins are folded just right,

everything's fine!

I was trying to keep us from blowing up!

Yeah, but never actually saying what's wrong!

Checkmate.

It's late.

Nice one, James.

Anna.

I'm sorry about last night.

Maybe chess wasn't our best idea?

Probably not.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

I don't want to be the guy that breaks the peace,

but, um

what are we doing for food?

I'm pretty sure we officially demolished everything

that you brought for dinner, except for herbs and butter.

Well, lucky for us, when I made some coffee,

I found a couple of boxes of risotto stashed away.

They're still good.

Risotto. Mm.

I keep thinking about that couple we saw yesterday

and them being there alone.

And there's enough for two extra people, maybe three.

So I thought maybe we could take some over to them later.

I've always admired that about you.

What?

Just always looking out for people.

Like this coffee for me, or, now this couple.

I just want people to feel safe and taken care of.

Okay. Well, then let me help.

You cook and I'll, um, I don't know, chop, stir.

Try not to throw my back out.

Okay. Deal.

But any complaints are taxed at two spoonfuls of risotto.

Yes, ma'am.

This risotto is so delicious.

Are you sure it's not too late to just turn around

and go back home and eat it all ourselves?

You're silly.

I haven't had your cooking in five years.

Can you blame me?

You already taste-tested half the pot.

It's quality control.

Oh. Good afternoon.

- Hi. - Afternoon.

Uh, I'm Anna. This is James.

We're in the cabin down the road,

and we made too much risotto.

Thought you might like some.

She does this.

Yes.

I'm Pam, and this is Rubin.

Would you look at that? You two brought food,

and you brought out my wife's smile.

I'm wearing the same smile since the day we met.

I've been helpless ever since.

Come in.

Yeah. Come in, come in. Come on in.

- Thank you. - Smells great.

- This is dangerous. - Mmhmm.

Everything she makes is.

Thank you, truly.

I would have felt so bad making Rubin eat

another peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

We're just grateful I'm not the cook.

Trust me, I know it.

Until recently, I even learned how to make a sandwich.

A man who learns late still learns.

That's respectable.

Mm.

We forgot to pray.

It's never too late.

Would you mind?

- Not at all. - Great.

Lord,

thank you for this food,

and for these two bringing it to our door.

Thank you for warmth when it's cold outside.

Thank you for company when it gets quiet.

Bless this meal,

bless this home

and bless our new friends, Anna and James.

In Jesus' strong name we pray.

Amen.

Amen.

Amen.

So dangerous.

There would have been more, but, you know, taste-tester...

- He ate a lot. - I got carried away.

Understandable.

I wish I had more than tea to offer you.

If we had power, I'd have made cookies.

Tea is perfect. Thank you.

You have got to try Pam's cookies next time.

I ate enough before the power went out

to survive hibernation.

That is a strong review.

Oh. After 45 years of marriage,

I've trained him well.

So how long have you two been married?

We're sorry. You don't have to answer that.

No, it's-it's okay.

We aren't anymore.

Oh.

Well, I must have misunderstood,

because you're both here, together.

Well, we-we came up separately

to meet our kids for Christmas.

But then the ice storm happened, so.

And here we are

just the two of us.

Yeah, we had a lot of hiccups in our marriage.

Not like you guys.

Oh, honey,

you couldn't be further from the truth.

We were a mess.

We were two messes... together.

I mean, there were seasons when, well, the love was non-existent.

When staying was harder than leaving.

And walking away was a temptation.

Oh, for sure.

But, oh, I mean, the life and love

we would have missed out on.

So how'd you make it work?

We made one last decision before we quit.

What was that?

We decided to start praying.

Together.

No matter what happened that day,

or if we felt like it, we prayed.

It didn't fix everything, but...

Changed everything.

Mmhmm.

Did it feel weird at first, praying together?

Oh, honey, it felt ridiculous.

I remember once I said, oh, oh...

Like I was in a hostage negotiation.

And some nights we only had patience to pray for 30 seconds.

And that worked?

Let me tell you something.

God can do a lot more with 30 seconds

than we can do with 30 years.

Night by night,

He made it easy for us to say, I'm sorry

than... I'm done.

Anyone want more tea?

Yes, please.

Good. Because I was one more heartfelt sentence away

from bringing up my cholesterol.

And my blood pressure.

We're so glad you knocked.

And whenever the power comes back on,

I'm making cookies first thing to thank you.

You heard it. You're on a list.

Well, I'm holding you to it.

Thanks for coming.

You guys have a wonderful night.

You, too.

Oh, wow. Look at that.

Reminds me of the star in Bethlehem

on that very first Christmas.

Can you imagine being there, knowing what it meant?

Yeah.

The whole time we were married, we

never really had the opportunity to pray together.

Maybe that would have made the difference.

- Careful. - Yeah.

Oh, my gosh.

What?

You still do that, that, um

whatever that was.

What? That was me being startled.

That was you

at Megan's eighth grade dance that we chaperoned.

Same move.

Stop it! No, it wasn't.

Your other dance moves still as good as I remember?

If you mean terrible, then yes.

Prove it.

Are you daring me?

I'm daring you.

Okay.

Well, I need some music.

Oh, too bad. I tried.

No, no, no, no, no.

You're not getting off that easy.

Wait here.

That's the music box you got me for our first anniversary.

- That plays our... - First dance song.

What do you say we dust it off, like our dance moves.

Lord, thank you for another day.

Thank you, Father.

Tonight

we want to lift up Anna and James to you.

Yes, Father.

You see them.

You know their story.

Guide their steps.

Orchestrate what you want for them both.

Make their path clear when they can't see it yet.

And if you're doing something there,

help them not miss it.

Amen.

Can I

say a prayer?

Yeah.

God, thank you for tonight.

Thank you for this week.

Help us find the right next step.

Amen.

Amen.

Good night.

Good night.

Good morning.

'Morning.

It's a Christmas miracle. The power's back on.

I wonder if the cell phone towers are on too.

Uh, hopefully.

I plugged my phone in so we can test that out in a sec.

But in the meantime, I was thinking

we could just sit, have a cup of coffee together.

Savor the last few moments

before the world comes barging back in.

I'd like that.

Yeah. Um, and...

I'm sorry if I shouldn't have kissed you last night.

No, no. It's fine.

I'm glad you did.

Yeah.

Well, that's good,

'cause I kind of like to kiss you again.

Mom?

Dad?

Megan. Oh, honey. Hi, you're home.

How did you get through the roadblock?

They're... they're clear now.

Wait. Where's Ben?

He's-he's not coming.

We broke up.

Why?

We just realized during the storm

that we weren't compatible.

Guessing we had a drastically different experience

than you two did.

Uh, what's, uh... what's going on?

Uh, well, your mom and I buried the hatchet

on a few things and, um, reconnected.

And...

And what?

And... we had a really great week together.

Great, great.

Yeah, that's, um, that's really great.

- Honey... - Great.

- Megan... - Actually, I'm pretty tired.

I'm gonna take my stuff upstairs.

Um, I-I brought groceries.

They're still in the car.

We'll-we'll grab them.

I'll go talk to her.

Hey, Meg. Can we talk?

What's there to talk about?

Well, what you saw

between me and your father, for one.

Or we could talk about what happened

between you and Ben.

You sounded so sure about him a few days ago.

And up until a couple of days ago,

you couldn't even stand to be around Dad.

So, clearly things change.

I can't believe you were gonna kiss him.

It is just as much of a surprise for me, too.

Why now, Mom?

I don't know.

Your dad and I have both grown so much, and...

This week has been really unexpected.

Yeah, that's an understatement.

Meg, I would have thought that you would want this.

You were the one

who invited us all up to the cabin together.

To meet my boyfriend.

I wanted you two to get along, not back together.

You're not-you're not good together, Mom.

I was there for all of it.

You're right.

We weren't good together back then, but I...

I think we could be now.

If you do this and things fall apart again,

somebody is gonna get hurt.

And it's not just you who gets hurt, Mom.

It affects all of us.

I'm gonna stay up here and unpack

before Mikey gets home.

Hey, this is Mikey,

can't come to the phone right now, leave a message.

Hey, Mikey, it's Mom.

I'm using your dad's phone because mine is still dead.

Call when you can. I love you.

Hey, bud. Where are you?

Hello?

Hello? Hello, James.

Hi. Sorry, James is outside.

We're about to have a family gathering.

Can I take a message?

Oh, hi. You must be his sister.

I really don't want to interrupt family time,

but since I have you, can I ask for your advice?

Um, sure. Advice about what?

Well, we have a date coming up when James gets back into town,

and I want to surprise him.

Do you think he would like New Year's Eve tickets

to the North Star Pavilion?

I've heard it's supposed to be a really fun date spot.

Um, you know, James usually doesn't like surprises.

Well, I know he says that,

but I think deep down, he really loves them.

Do you think it's too much?

No.

I'm sure he's gonna love that.

Okay, great. Thank you so much.

Go spend time with your family

and um, Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas.

Okay. Here are the groceries.

Is that Mikey on the phone?

No, it was your girlfriend.

My what?

Your girlfriend, Lisette.

She got you tickets for your New Year's Eve date.

That was actually supposed to be a surprise, sorry.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

Just slow down, Anna, slow down.

- Groceries need to be put away. - Not now they don't.

Right now, we need to talk.

I am not dating Lisette.

Why'd you tell me that you work with her.

Because I do work with her.

I- I just didn't mention that I had also planned

to have a date with her.

My first date in five years.

I was finally trying to move on.

Looks like you're doing a pretty good job

because you got a plan in place and a date set.

Anna!

Everything has changed now, Anna.

I want to make plans with you.

No, it's fine, it's fine. We had a really great week.

Isn't that what you told Megan

when she asked what was going on between us.

Nothing at all about the future.

Which, honestly, it's fine, really.

What was I supposed to say in that moment?

I said what I thought you'd want.

You hate it when I'm five steps ahead.

I'm not in the moment, so I just...

You know what? It doesn't matter.

We're gonna go back to our separate lives after Christmas,

and that'll be that.

Just like that.

The jury's out again.

Anna, I have been here, fully present with you.

I choose you.

Actually, you haven't chosen anything.

You didn't choose to be here this week.

I didn't either.

It was purely circumstantial.

We were away from reality for a few days.

But the second that phone rang and the real world entered...

Look at us, we're fighting. We cannot do this again.

Someone always gets hurt.

Yeah, I guess you're right.

Oh.

Hi, dear.

Hey, Pam.

Uh, go on in. I was just on my way out.

Hi, Anna.

James, let me in.

Hi, Pam. It's nice to see you.

I'm just getting things in order.

Well, I had to make good on my promise.

Now that the power's back, I brought freshly baked cookies.

Oh. Thank you.

Are you okay?

You look a bit flush.

Yeah, yeah. I'm fine.

Really?

Let's have a Christmas cookie.

All right.

Official rule in my house.

First cookie is to settle you.

Second cookie just because it's Christmas.

Mm.

Wow. What's in this?

Don't tell me, the secret is prayer.

Potato chips.

You're kidding.

Nope. A little salt makes the sweet behave.

How's it going in here?

Oh, hey James.

Sorry. Forgot how far the sound carries out here.

Oh, no. You're okay.

I just-I thought maybe a transformer blew.

Ice storm still got me jumpy.

Oh, I don't blame you.

I was about to go stir crazy.

The minute the power came on. I came straight here.

This a hobby of yours?

Started that way.

Now, folks just drop things off

when they think they're beyond repair.

Like this.

I'm just giving an old chair purpose again.

Wow. It's beautiful.

Yeah.

Should have seen it before. Scratches, water damage, broken.

It looked absolutely done for.

That's hard to believe.

You know what's funny?

For years, I couldn't bake to save my life.

Anything I tried tasted awful.

No way.

Way.

My family had a whole bit even, every holiday.

Oh, Pam brought her famous hockey pucks.

Oh.

After a while,

I started baking like that was just who I was.

Like the kitchen already made up its mind about me.

So what changed?

One day I thought, what if I'm not bad at baking?

What if I'm just still learning?

So I changed a few things, tried new ingredients.

But the biggest thing

is I quit walking in that kitchen expecting to fail.

You found your confidence?

Maybe.

Or maybe I finally let myself be new.

Or if you think about it, we're all changing,

all learning.

Sometimes you just have to choose to see the new recipe.

Are we still talking about cookies?

I should get going.

I'll walk you back.

How do you, uh, decide if a piece is worth saving?

Most are. It all comes down to vision.

You somehow have to see what's not quite there yet.

Huh?

Now you're speaking my language.

Oh, yeah.

I work as a community development director.

My job is convincing people what could be.

Oh, man, you definitely got it.

If all you see is damage,

then that's all something will ever be.

So what's Anna up to this morning?

She's back up at the house.

I should-I should let you get back to what you're doing

and maybe go check on her.

All right.

Have yourself a wonderful day, James.

You too, Rubin.

Anna.

Anna.

Dad, I think she left for a walk.

Okay, sweetie.

Thank you.

Okay.

I hear you.

James.

Can I talk to you?

Can I show you something first?

Sure.

Come sit.

You want to play chess?

Just trust me.

James, if this is about reminding me that you won.

I didn't win. Look.

There was another move. It wasn't checkmate.

Why are you showing me this?

When I went for a walk,

I bumped into Rubin down at the rec center.

He was restoring old furniture.

The kind of pieces that everybody assumes are done for.

You should have seen what he was able to do with them.

Okay.

And then I sat here

and I realized

that I've been looking at us like the board is final.

Like... like we'd already lost.

But you can't checkmate God.

There's always another move.

And if old furniture can be restored then so can we.

We're not the people we used to be,

but it's still going to take work.

I'm still going to wear a ratty old eye mask

and make mistakes and say the wrong things sometimes, but,

but Anna Elizabeth Campbell, I want to do the work with you.

Trusting what God's making us into.

I was going to tell you the exact same thing.

That you stumbled upon Rubin outside the rec center too?

No, but...

Pam and I had a pretty similar conversation.

James Andrew Campbell...

I have fallen in love with you all over again,

and I want to make plans with you

more than anything in the world.

I guess those 30 second prayers really work.

Mom? Dad?

We have got to work on our timing.

Hey, bud.

What's happening?

Your mom and I are getting back together.

Mikey, it's okay if you're mad or confused

or however you're feeling, it's...

Are you kidding?

I'm so happy I... I've been praying for this.

Like actually praying.

Wait, does Megan know?

Honey... about earlier. I'm sorry.

No.

It's okay. I'm sorry.

I was just spun up about my own stuff.

Because Ben broke up with you?

Actually, I'm the one who broke it off with him.

You did?

Why?

He posted a goofy video of me singing Christmas carols

to his story without asking me first.

I was mortified.

And then he got defensive and he offered to take it down.

But... I don't know, I just-I just shut down.

And then I said it was fine, but it wasn't fine.

So I sent him a text later saying we weren't a good fit.

A text?

Wow, Miss CEO of breakups.

It was just easier than having the actual conversation.

Oh, honey, I love that you got so many things from me.

But there is one thing

I do not want you to inherit from me,

running from conflict the second it shows up.

We both do that?

With candles.

Christmas decorations.

Yes.

I used to decorate my way out of hard things.

Ben's really great, Mom.

And I totally blew it.

It is never too late to try something new.

You think he'd take me back?

That I can't predict.

But you can decide that fear doesn't get the last word.

Just call him.

Start with I'm sorry and I panicked.

And maybe add,

I'll have a blue Christmas without you.

You're cheesy.

Thanks, Mom.

Okay. Yeah, I'll-I'll call him now.

That's my girl.

Oh, and Mikey's home.

Yeah. Okay, well, tell him this CEO is in a meeting,

but I'll be down in a bit.

Okay.

Love it.

Wait, Dad said you guys made Frosty Joe without us.

What? No. That's unbelievable.

Well, he wasn't gonna build himself.

No, no, no, no. We're gonna need a redo, okay?

Agreed. We will.

Come on, let's take a family picture

in front of the tree.

Here. I'll set up my self-timer with my phone.

It'll be for our Christmas card next year.

Okay. Five seconds.

Okay, let's go.

All right. Everybody say Frosty Joe.

Frosty Joe!