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♪
Sophie, I see you behind Henry.
You have to tag me or I'm not caught.
She always changes the rules to win.
[Henry] That she does, Sammy. That she does.
♪
Now, who can tell me
what's the best type of maple tree
for making syrup is?
I'll give you a clue.
It's what makes the syrup taste sweet.
[in unison] A sugar maple?
Yes.
[giggling]
[laughing]
Do you really have to go tomorrow?
My mom says I have to get back to the city.
Why don't you come?
You can have Christmas dinner with my family.
I can't.
Your great-uncle Henry would be all alone.
I'm glad he has you, Sammy.
And I'll be back next year, I promise.
Let's not talk about it.
Tell me one of your stories instead.
I've been thinking of a new one.
It was Christmas in the town of Bramble Hollow.
The Lady Soph and her dashing knight, Sir Sammy
were riding on the back of his trusty steed
through a snow-lit field toward the old stone church
with the candles in the windows.
The implication that our clients
at Agromerge International
are happy about the disappearance of family farms
is completely... delusory.
To characterize it in any other way
is just another example of how our system has gone to seed.
And that's all the time we have.
Thanks for the insight, Sophie Marlow and Congressman,
as always, a pleasure having you here.
Thank you so much, Merry Christmas.
Delusory is definitely a word, right?
I didn't just make that up on national television.
No, it's definitely a word, I think, yeah.
I particularly like that part about "gone to seed."
That was good.
Yeah. I didn't plan that. It just came out.
And that is why they're gonna partnerize you
with the next board meeting.
Oh, don't jinx it.
And partnerise is definitely not a word.
Oh, speaking of words, the messages are coming in
from the execs at Agromerge. They loved what you said.
Well, that's encouraging, but...
I'm still not comfortable not telling the truth, Layla.
- Thank you. - What's not true?
I just told those viewers that Agromerge isn't taking over
family farms and turning them into factories.
No, no, no, what you said, very tactfully, might I add,
is that they're not happy
about taking over the family farms.
You didn't lie. You're not lying.
They're not happy about it.
It's just a necessity of progress.
Uh... it still doesn't make me feel any better.
Mmhmm.
What'll make you feel better is when that merger
with Brixxton goes through.
Brixxton. That's in Washington.
Hm.
I have family there.
This could end up affecting them.
Progress, Sophie. It's big business.
It's not a movie.
It doesn't end well for everyone.
Although you'll probably make a few million from it.
So, you know, happy ending for you and me and Agromerge.
Are we still on for that working weekend
to go over the acquisition contracts?
Got to make sure we're ready for the meeting next week.
Yeah, I'll be here.
I want to get it hammered out before the holiday break.
That's why I got my Christmas shopping done early.
Awe, who are you Christmas shopping for?
Your houseplant.
[phone ringing]
I gotta take this.
Jessica, can you look up delusory?
I want to make sure it's an actual word.
You're not Jessica.
No, I'm Gordon. I'm filling in for Jessica.
By the way, you were fantastic on the news just now.
Thank you.
You also had some calls this morning
from Waynesbridge, Washington.
- Waynesbridge? - Mmhmm.
It sounded urgent. There's the number.
And what was that word you wanted me to look up?
Delusory.
[Erin] It was peaceful. He went in his sleep.
I spent every Christmas with Uncle Henry until I was 14.
[Erin] I know Sophie, I'm sorry.
I understand this is difficult news to hear.
But according to your great uncle's will,
you are the majority interest beneficiary of his estate.
Marlow Maple Meadows?
Henry didn't want a funeral service,
but transferring over the deed
will need to be notarized in person.
Okay. We have a notary in the office.
In the State of Washington.
Probate laws differ from state to state.
Unfortunately, posthumous transfer of property
need to be done within the same calendar year.
How soon could you be here?
How soon are we talking?
Tomorrow.
Tomorrow?
Um. Yeah. Yeah, I guess I have to.
And just out of curiosity,
when you say majority interest beneficiary.
Your great uncle left you 60 percent of his estate.
Who got the other 40?
[ringtone] ♪ Ring ring ring ring ring ring ring. ♪
♪ Ding a ding ding ding ding ding ding ding a ding. ♪
♪ Ring a ding.
♪ Ring a ding ding a ding a ding. ♪
♪ Ring ring ring ring a ding. ♪
This better be important, Chris.
I'm working.
I'm hearing water droplets hitting the phone.
Are you doing that thing
where you dunk your head in a bucket again?
It's a sink.
And I told you, sometimes I need to change my environment
to get a little inspiration.
Isn't that why you bought the Airstream?
So you could change your environment
whenever you wanted?
What do you need, Chris?
I'll give you a hint. It starts with an S.
[Sam] I have no idea what you're talking about.
It's s-s-s-script.
It's your script, Sam.
I really, really need that third act.
Can't direct a movie unless I have an ending.
Look, I know you're getting antsy.
No. Antsy would have been about four months ago.
Now it's--
Well, it's worse than antsy?
Disquieted.
No, no, no. Worse than that.
Distraught.
This is great!
See, this is why you're the writer!
I'm having a little trouble with the ending.
Yeah, but you've already ended four wildly successful movies
perfectly so far.
And every time you say the same thing.
Every time, they're hard.
And this one... this one's got to be better.
It's got to be better than the others.
Why don't you get Richard Gere to help you with it?
For one thing, he doesn't have opposable thumbs.
Do you, Richie?
But you're still my best friend in the whole world.
[dog whines]
Yes, you are.
Look, Chris, this is me hanging up.
My dog needs a little bit of love,
and I need a little bit of inspiration.
Besides, you're not going to shoot anything
before Christmas, right?
If you get me the script before the end of the week,
I will start shooting the day after Christmas, if I can.
The studio pivoted.
They want it for a Christmas in July release.
[sighs] Look, Sam, you are very, very good at this.
You have a worldwide fan base
that just want to see your next movie.
It's time to take over Christmas.
So get your head out of the bucket and start writing.
Okay. Love you. Ciao.
Ciao, Chris.
[exhales]
Okay.
[phone] ♪ Ring ring.
♪ Ring ring ring ring ring ring ring ring. ♪
♪ Ding a ding ding a ding. ♪ ♪ Ring a ding ding a ding. ♪ Ring a ding.
Ring a ♪
Still haven't finished the script, Chris.
I'm... I'm sorry, I'm sorry, what?
Oh, no. Henry.
Oh.
You're just going to quit everything
and become a maple farmer?
Hardly.
I'm going to catch the 6 a.m. flight to Burlington.
I'll be in Waynesbridge by 9 a.m.,
going to meet with the real estate agent at 11:00.
The estate lawyer at--
1:00 p.m. tomorrow confirmed.
1:00 p.m.
I'll wrap everything up by 5:00,
and then I'll be back on a flight
in time for the company Christmas party
tomorrow evening.
Well, leave your Brixxton notes.
If you decide to stay in the country for the holidays,
I can fill in for you at the meeting next week.
Christmas in Waynesbridge.
No, we have a deal to firm up with Agromerge.
I need the notes. I will see you tomorrow.
Do you want to make a wager on that?
Five blowouts.
You're on.
Get back to work.
[peaceful music]
♪
- Thank you. - Here you go.
Thank you.
And this is for you.
Bye.
Hi, Erin.
Hi, Sammy.
Hi, Sophie. Two maple candy canes, please.
Thank you. Going back to the city today?
Yeah.
If you want someone to help you out here, Sam,
you can always count on me.
♪
[cheerful music]
You coming?
[whimpering]
It's not looking good, is it?
Okay, you stay here?
[exhales]
♪
Hm.
Hey!
Whoa, whoa!
Grab the ladder! Grab the...! No, no!
Oh!
Careful. This ladder is not meant for two people.
- Careful. - Oh, ow!
- Hold on. - You're on my foot.
Your foot is in my shin.
Oh!
Hi, Sammy.
Hey, Soph.
[chuckles]
You shouldn't have sneaked up on me like that.
How could I have sneaked up on you?
I didn't even know you were here.
You didn't see my red sports car in the driveway?
No, no, no, I parked on the lower road.
Why are you renting a sports car in winter?
Well, it's all-wheel drive.
And why didn't you drive up to the house?
Well, I don't... I don't fit.
You don't fit?
What do you drive, an 18-wheeler?
It's an Airstream.
Oh, you... you live in a trailer?
It's an Airstream.
Oh.
It's good to see you again.
You too.
How long has it been?
Thirty years?
No.
Well, 29 and 11 months.
Oh, really?
Pretty much.
I mean, it was right before Christmas when you left.
Well, this place is still here.
Yeah, yeah.
It's the last place I saw you.
I came back a few times,
but it just wasn't the same without you.
When did you move away?
About ten years after you did.
I worked on the farm right up until the day I left.
Hm.
I come here every day after school and on weekends.
And Henry taught me everything there is to know
about tending the trees and keeping the farm.
He was a true artist.
Hm.
Remember when he would say
the craft of making maple syrup is as
[in unison] delicate and intricate as making wine.
[laughs]
Oh, remember his maple candy canes?
Oh, they were the best.
People would drive for miles around.
We could not make enough of them at Christmas.
Why did he stop making maple syrup do you think?
[sighs]
He was just such a traditionalist?
Always insisted on doing
everything the old-fashioned way.
He was fed up with seeing how obsessed the world became,
doing everything faster, bigger and cheaper.
Everybody's buying artificial trees.
And he hated how other farms turned maple syrup production
into processing plants.
Processing plants is for sewage.
[laughs]
He definitely had his fair share of offers
for companies coming over
and taking over and modernizing the farm,
but he wouldn't have anything to do with that.
[exhales]
I could have stayed here forever.
Why didn't you?
I got an opportunity to teach at Berkeley,
so I took it.
It was a job that still allowed me
to write scripts on the side.
On the side?
Like, what do you have, two Emmys and an Oscar?
You have always been such a great storyteller.
Henry would always talk about you.
And he would say how proud he was of you.
God has big plans for that one, Sammy.
I should have been here.
When we spoke on the phone
only a few months ago, but... still.
You couldn't have known. Neither of us could.
Plus, he was in the place he loved most in the world.
Marlow Maple Meadows.
[In unison] So are you married or kids?
I... You go first.
No. No, neither.
Still waiting for the day
God brings me the right person to love.
You?
No kids. But I did get married.
Oh.
It ended... awkwardly.
Oh, I'm so sorry.
No, don't be sorry.
The awkward part was that we probably shouldn't
have got married in the first place.
It didn't last very long.
[car horn]
I wonder who that is.
Oh. Hi there.
I'm Vera King with Green Mountain Realty.
You must be Sophie.
I spoke to your assistant on the phone,
and you must be the mister.
Oh, no. I'm... I'm the Sam.
Oh, Sam Stackhouse, I love your movies.
When's the next one coming out?
Maybe July.
Well... Vera King, Green Mountain Realty.
Hi. Nice to meet you.
Your assistant indicated you wanted to get this property
on the market as soon as possible
seeing as it's so close to Christmas and all.
Yeah, I think so. Mhm.
You shouldn't have any problems selling this property.
You'd be surprised
how much the value of this land has gone up
to companies these last few years.
Companies?
Yep. Corporate agriculture.
I've got a few companies lined up right now
who are grabbing up all the land around here.
They'll take down the house, clear the land
and set up factory farms. They'll pay top dollar.
They'll take down the house.
Oh, trust me, this house and everything in it,
it's as old as this town.
It's just in the way of progress.
The house actually looks like it's in pretty good shape.
Well, you know what?
I will draw up a letter of intent for you to sign.
I'll write up the listing for you.
You'll be here tomorrow?
Oh, tomorrow?
Oh, you know what?
I have an open house that I have to get to
on the other side of town.
It was lovely to meet you all.
I'll talk to you soon.
Hm.
I guess we're selling.
I mean, I wanted to talk to you about that, of course,
because he left the place to both of us.
Right. But it's...
I mean, it's really your decision.
You were... you were actual family,
and... and you're the majority--
beneficiary owner,
but... but I don't see it that way.
You were like family to him, too.
We should decide together.
Okay.
Because I'm sure you need to get back to your life.
Yes, right. My life, of course.
Yeah.
And I need to get back to mine.
Yeah. It's not like we're going
to become maple sugarists.
Is that a word?
No, I made that up.
No.
One of the benefits of being a writer.
Right.
So sell?
I guess so. Just...
What?
I don't know.
I just feel like it would be so sad
to see them tear the house down
and then turn the farm into something that is not.
I mean, Henry built this place with his bare hands.
I know.
I know, but there's not much we can do about that,
is there?
No.
I guess we just got to sign the papers and get on with it.
Oh. Reminds me, we need to get to the estate lawyer's office.
Oh. Do you mind riding with me?
In the trailer?
It's an Airstream.
And no, in the truck. I got to plug it in.
I got to let Richard Gere out.
Richard Gere?
Richard, meet Sophie.
Sophie, meet Richard Gere.
Oh, I like your Christmas collar, Richard.
But you don't look very much like the actor.
Are you kidding me? Look how handsome he is.
Plus, he's an officer and a gentleman.
Hm.
And he clearly likes a pretty woman.
[both laugh]
[cheerful music]
I don't remember a law office around here.
Well, this is the address.
It's a place called Barista Barristers Coffee Council.
So it's a coffee shop.
So not a law office.
Council with your coffee. Lawyer with your latte.
Ah, coffee shop and a law office.
Huh. Seriously?
Afternoon.
May I interest you in a gingerbresspresso
or a christmacchiato?
Oh, actually, we're here for--
Eggnogaccino.
Oh, I'll have one of those.
Make that two.
Okay.
We're here for a meeting regarding the Marlow Estate.
Hey!
Sam. Oh, and Sophie!
It's Erin.
- Oh. - Good to see you.
- Hi. - Wow.
Sorry to make you guys come all this way.
It's just Washington state's probate laws are quite strict
and with Christmas here,
it's better to just get it all squared away.
Yeah. It's okay. It's nice being back.
You look really great, Erin.
Thanks.
You do too.
Um. And Soph, gosh,
I don't think we've seen each other since we were kids.
I know, right?
So this is your place?
Yeah. You know, after I passed the bar after college,
I was trying to figure out what I was going to do.
And, you know, I thought about going to Chicago or New York,
but I just-- I wanted to know the people
that I was working with.
I didn't think that fancy corporate law
was really for me.
So although I've been doing a lot more of it these days
with all these huge companies
trying to come into town from all sides.
You know, all our staff are paralegals or law students,
and they give affordable advice to locals who need it.
It's really cool.
And I'm a bit of a coffee aficionado,
so I just decided to put two and two together and voila.
Sorry. Enough of this chit-chat.
A occupational hazard of owning a coffee shop
so I get a little over-caffeinated sometimes.
Okay, so you should find that everything here is in order.
Okay.
Henry left the entire estate to the two of you.
The estate being the farm and everything on it.
Which, as you know, is a considerable piece of property.
Marlow Maple Meadows.
A cornerstone of our community.
Have you decided what you're going to do with it?
Oh, I'm so sorry. That is none of my business.
It's just so many of the family farms
are gone these days.
It would just be such a shame to see another one go,
especially the Marlow.
It might need some work.
I know a few contractors,
but... but of course, it's up to the two of you.
Uh, so yeah, if everything looks okay, you can sign.
Uh, have you decided
how long are you going to stay in town, Sophie?
I'm hoping to leave tonight.
Oh.
Yeah, but in retrospect,
that might have been a little ambitious.
Well, if you do end up staying and you need a place to work,
you're more than welcome to come here.
We're the only place in the entire county
that has secure, high speed Wi-Fi.
- Thank you. - Yeah.
Sam, are you planning on sticking around?
I don't know, I'm just, um. I'm kind of playing it by ear.
Well... Um, let me know if you want to get together
for a catch-up Christmas drink or something.
Okay.
You too, Soph.
Yeah, that'd be great. Mmhmm.
So, yeah, as you're aware, Henry specifically stipulated
in his will that he did not want a funeral.
So you can pick up his cremains
at the funeral home down the street.
His cremains?
Well, that's a lot to process
in less than 24 hours, isn't it?
You said it.
[exhales]
Um,
do you... do you have plans for dinner tonight?
Well, the mayor of Waynesbridge
is throwing a holiday gala in my honor.
The Governor is flying in.
Mariah Carey is performing. You didn't get an invite?
Oh, I did, I did, but I'm going to take a pass.
Mm.
Now, if the Muppets were performing,
I'd be there with bells on.
[chuckles]
Hey, what do you say
I make us both dinner tonight at the house
for old time's sake.
Oh, like the time you tried making mac and cheese
and he overcooked it, and it became a mushy bowl
of orange noodle soup.
My culinary skills have improved since then.
Slightly.
Okay, well, if you're gonna cook,
then let me buy the groceries.
And I want to do a little clothing shopping.
Okay.
It's just so strange.
You live 89 years, and all that's left
is an urn of ashes and a will.
It seems so unceremonious.
Henry wouldn't have had it any other way.
He wasn't exactly the most sentimental guy.
And yet he was such a romantic.
Now, he would say those are two very different things.
Do you remember his love of literature?
Hemingway, Dickens.
James Joyce.
Yes. He introduced all that stuff to me.
If it wasn't for Henry,
I wonder if I ever would have become a writer.
And somehow he managed to make the art of getting sap
from maple trees poetic as well.
Do you remember that old typewriter he used to have
in the living room?
The Underwood?
Yeah. I wonder if that's still around?
It's definitely still around. It's in the Airstream.
He gave it to me for Christmas
before I left for college. I'll never forget it.
When he gave it to me, there was a piece of paper in it
with one sentence typed on it and said,
"One day you'll write something perfect with this."
Oh.
I wonder what he used that typewriter for.
I've got no idea.
So how long were you married?
Four years.
Was it tough when it ended?
It was tough, but not as tough as you might think.
We're still friends.
We just came to realize that she wasn't the one for me.
I wasn't the one for her.
And we set each other free.
How about you?
Did you ever come close?
Not really.
Like I said, I'm still waiting for the day
God sends me the one I'm supposed to be with.
The all-elusive one.
The last time, I talked to him he said he hadn't been
into the sugar bush in a couple of seasons.
Yeah, he was starting to have a little trouble getting around,
but he was determined that everybody wanted
a Maple Meadows candy cane at Christmas
would get a Maple Meadows candy cane at Christmas.
I love that he had the place decorated.
First to the month every year.
Wait. Wait here.
Okay.
It's perfect.
I had a service come in
and help him out a little bit.
Just with general maintenance and keeping the place tidy.
[clank sound]
I guess they didn't get the general maintenance part.
Well, at least it's tidy.
You know, I used to tell great-uncle Henry
how much I loved this house.
And he would just smile at me and he'd say,
"I wonder if it's the house you love
"or the love that fills it."
Mm.
Can't imagine a company coming in here and buying this place
and feeling the same way.
I don't like the idea of someone knocking it down.
It's a little outdated, but it's got great bones.
Time for dinner.
Mm.
[whimpers]
Dinner's gonna be ready soon.
Okay.
Oh!
Maybe not that soon.
These pipes.
Not good.
[buzz sound]
[sighs]
[phone ringing]
I owe you five blowouts.
I knew it.
Actually, I think we said six, didn't we?
And I want them from that nice place on Rodeo.
Fine.
[static] So what are you doing for Christmas?
Hold... hold on, let me call you back from a landline.
Okay. Oh, okay.
I got this.
[phone ringing]
Sorry. The... the Wi-Fi and cell reception
is practically non-existent here.
Are you staying there for Christmas?
Oh, no. I'll definitely be home by Sunday.
You want to make another bet? Double or nothing?
No. And besides, you're a lawyer.
You should not be engaging in felonious illegal gambling.
I'm sorry I had to bail on our work weekend.
No, no, no, don't be silly.
The meeting next week is going to be a cakewalk.
I prepared.
I know what we're doing.
I only suggested we work the weekends
so we can sip Chardonnay and write it off
as a business expense.
Thank you.
This is harder to do than I thought it would be.
It's no problem.
But, Sophie, I do need your notes on the merger contract.
Yes, I will send those
as soon as everyone in the state of Washington
gets off their phones and gives me
enough cell reception to send a file to the server.
I hope.
Okay, well, be sure to send me some of those
maple candy canes you keep talking about.
They're gluten free, right?
Goodbye.
Look at all that red ink.
That reminds me of my grade school math test
coming back from the teacher.
I love this farm, but the cell reception is terrible.
And forget about the Wi-Fi.
Pretty sure Henry didn't know Wi-Fi was a thing.
Well, thankfully, I brought hard copies of everything
so I can work the old-fashioned way.
Henry would be very proud.
So...
You ready to eat?
Yes.
That's just like the one we had in the treehouse.
Yeah.
Yeah, I bought that one at an antique shop years ago, and
now it's got a year-round home in the Airstream.
To Henry.
[barking]
Oh.
Did I mention that that one is battery-powered?
[laughter]
Yes. And then you said, and you said.
I'm just here to help my great-uncle milk the trees.
That's the way you said it.
And the look on that poor woman's face.
I was six years old.
And that's a pretty accurate description
of how you get maple syrup.
Fair enough.
Oh, little maple sugarists.
That word. Henry would have loved it.
I wonder why he never married.
I don't know.
He never even talked about it.
I mean, he was the most open person I ever met,
and like I learned so much from him.
But I always got the sense that there was a part of him
that was off limits, that was locked away only for him.
He was so full of life.
But yeah, there was always a little sadness in him.
It's amazing that you saw that because he was always so happy
when you were here for Christmas.
But yeah, you're right.
I mean, sometimes he had this...
this faraway look in his eye
like he was missing something or...
someone.
Maybe it was because he was estranged
from my entire family.
I mean, except for me and my mom.
They didn't like him?
It wasn't about dislike.
It was just he was an outlier.
They didn't understand him.
The rest of the Marlow family,
they're very pragmatic, practical people.
Very boring, myself included.
You are not boring.
I followed in my parents' footsteps
and went to law school.
A fallback, they called it,
which great Uncle Henry loathed.
Fall forward, my dear. Always forward, never back.
And here I am, another lawyer, just what the world needs.
I think you're selling yourself a little short.
I should probably get some work done
before I go to bed.
Now? You don't take a break for the holidays.
Oh, the demands of my job knows no boundaries.
And what about you?
You screenwriters, don't you, uh,
burn the midnight oil working on your opuses?
Yeah, we certainly do.
I'm just not feeling very oe-pic tonight.
Another new word.
It's a gift.
I probably should get some work done, though.
I got a deadline.
I have a director friend
who keeps reminding me I'm well past.
It's too bad, though.
What? Did you have something else in mind?
Three. Two. One.
Ready or not, here I come.
[playful music]
- [laughter] - [scream]
Five, four, three, two, one.
Ready or not, here I come.
- [screams] - [laughs]
[playful music]
[Sam laughs]
[Sophie laughs]
Gotcha!
You didn't get me. You have to tag me.
This is not reindeer tag. This is elves in the trees.
Those are two totally different games.
No, but it's round five and in round five,
the rule is, the game changes to Santa's hide and tag.
It's an amalgamation of the two games.
Don't you remember?
I remember that you always changed the rules.
What? No, I don't change the rules.
I just know them better than anyone else.
And I remember that you always have to win.
I tagged you.
[laughs]
I really missed you, Soph.
I missed you too, Sammy.
Tag. You're it! You're it!
[laughing] That was fun.
Hey, the electricity's back.
Oh thankfully.
Do you think now somehow there's Wi-Fi?
Never in Henry's house.
Well, now that it's our house, do you think the rule changed?
Our house?
Wow.
Technically, I guess that's right, isn't it?
You know, there's something that I don't understand.
What's that?
Why Henry left the majority of the estate to me.
Why didn't he split it between us 50/50.
Because, like you said,
you were the only family that was close to him.
Yeah, but I didn't come visit for almost 30 years.
He still knew you cared about him.
You stayed much longer than I did.
And even after you left, you still visited.
You were just as much family to him as I was,
maybe even more.
I should get some writing done.
Thanks for dinner.
Anytime.
Oh, and thanks for the lucky elf hat.
That one makes it really easy to win.
Hm.
[exhales]
I just need a couple of scenes. Okay?
I don't even need the whole ending.
Just a few little scenes
so that I can get everyone excited about it.
Chris, does a chef serve cold soup?
Absolutely. Gazpacho.
Vichyssoise. Borscht. There is a Turkish one.
I'm definitely gonna butcher the name,
Yayla Corbasi.
Look, I don't know how many times I got to tell you this.
It's not finished.
And when it is finished, I'm gonna send it to you.
If you're blocked on the ending,
you just gotta find something that inspires you.
Like a muse.
Yeah. A muse.
You're surrounded by Christmas muses.
Just sit down and write about it, okay?
You got this.
Love ya. Ciao.
Hm.
[whimpers]
We got this.
So I've got some good news for you.
Oh, let me guess.
You're at the office Christmas party
and you just had a miso shishito pepper appetizer.
Full disclosure, I had three, and they are to die for,
but that's not what I'm calling about.
Guess who I ran into.
Timothée Chalamet.
Alex Turnbull.
Alex Turnbull, the CFO of Agromerge International,
is at our Christmas party.
He is a client after all.
I guess even corporate farming execs need to blow off
a little steam once in a while anyway.
Anyway, their in-house legal are still doing
their due diligence for the merger with Brixxton,
and they want to push our meeting to Wednesday.
The day after Christmas.
Yeah, they just need a little more time.
So they're going to call our office
tomorrow morning to confirm.
Okay. That's great.
Yeah, that actually helps me out a lot.
I've been scrambling to get everything done here.
Great. You don't have to stress.
By the way, you still need
to send me your notes on the documents.
I'm so sorry. I never got any cell service.
Well, can you find another way because I need those notes.
Sure.
Bye.
[sentimental music]
[rapid knocking]
Oh.
There you are.
I was hoping you were home.
Oh.
I guess phoning people isn't really a thing around here.
We're big fans of the drop-by in Waynesbridge.
Mhm. Well, it's a little late, isn't it?
Oh. Real estate never sleeps.
I drew up the listing for you.
All you need to do is sign
and we can get this property on the market.
Should sell in no time.
I put those little sticky arrows in the spots
where you need to sign. I find them super handy.
Do you need a pen? Here have mine.
Oh, I have to discuss this with Sam.
He's a co-owner.
Absolutely. Though you are the majority owner.
I did a little research.
Technically, you can override him if you have to.
I don't... have to.
And I'll need to read this before I sign it.
Can't get past the lawyer part of me.
I'll be in touch with you tomorrow morning.
The sooner we can get it on the market,
the sooner we can sell.
I have buyers lined up.
Oh, I'm sure you do, but I'll be in touch tomorrow.
Thank you.
No problem.
Oh.
[cheerful music]
Hey, thanks for sticking around for me.
No problem at all.
I live right above, so I am here 24/7.
What can I do for you?
Well, I tried sending these from the house, but--
Oh, there's only spotty cell service
for the entire county.
Yeah, happens to everyone.
Do you mind scanning them for me
and sending them to Davenport.
Not a problem.
Back in a jiff.
Okay.
[sentimental music]
Your clients send you Christmas cards?
Yeah and cookies and cakes, and Christmas fudge.
It's one of the benefits of knowing the names
of everyone who walks through our doors.
Oh. [bleep sound]
That sound means it's sent.
Oh. Thank you.
Hey, how's it going over there with Sam?
He's a sweetheart, isn't he?
Yes. Yeah, he is.
If you guys do decide to fix up the farm,
I might be able to find a buyer for you.
Lots of people don't want the family farms to disappear.
Just saying.
Okay.
Yeah. I'll keep it in mind.
Thank you.
No problem.
[Sam] ♪ Angels we have heard on high. ♪
♪ Sweetly singing o'er the plains. ♪
♪ Glo...
♪ oooo
[knocking]
♪ oooo
♪...oria
♪ Glo...
- [thud] - Oh.
Hi.
Oh.
Wow. You certainly have this place decked out for Christmas.
Yeah. Try to live inside Christmas so that I'm inspired
to write the perfect Christmas movie.
Perfect. That's a high bar.
Well, I'm sorry I interrupted your process.
It's fine. I mean, I'm fine.
So the whole standing on your head
immersive Christmas ornament kind of thing is because...
If I'm having trouble coming up with something,
say, an ending, I try to completely change
my perspective as to kickstart my creativity.
Like I dunk my head under water.
Or...
Or standing on your head.
Or standing on my head.
So what was on your mind?
Oh...
I couldn't stop thinking about what you said about the house.
Was it the thing about the water pipes?
Because you weren't supposed to hear that.
No, no, no, it was when you said
you'd hate for the house to be torn down
and the farm turned into something it's not.
What if we decided to fix it up?
Fix it up to keep it?
No, no.
But to sell it to someone who would agree not to change it.
I mean, you said yourself,
Henry... he did so much for us.
Ever since I got back here, I have had this feeling.
It's like...
I'm at home.
And I haven't felt that in a really long time.
Maybe since the last time I was here.
Me too.
Really like, I feel like this place
was such an anchor for me growing up.
But Soph, selling is selling.
No matter what,
we wouldn't be able to come back here anymore.
Unless you're saying we both give up everything
and become maple farmers.
Mm.
Well, it sounds more fun than my job,
but not very practical.
So then what difference does it make?
What happens to the farm or the house?
When you were out living your life,
did you think about this place ever?
Did you miss it?
I've always called this place home.
Me too.
And even though I didn't come back for years and years,
I have always had a comfort knowing that it was here.
Like a Christmas star guiding you
to the place you need to be.
Mm.
Now, the practical thing to do is sell it.
But wouldn't you like to know that this place was still here
wherever we both end up in the world.
You know...
you can be really convincing when you want to be.
You should be...
What's the name of that job where you talk to people
and you try to convince them of stuff?
Oh, please.
I am a mergers and acquisitions attorney.
Ah.
But I'm right.
You're right.
Okay, so we put a clause in the deal that the new owners
have to preserve the farm.
We can do that.
Mergers and acquisitions attorney.
I could still visit every Christmas.
What do you say?
[laughs] Okay, okay.
Hiya.
I'm Declan, but folks call me Fitzy.
Oh, you're Erin's handyman.
Oh, I'm everyone's handyman.
So you like to fix up the old farmhouse, is that it?
Yes, yes. And the farm itself.
Just to get it up and running?
Yeah. You think that's doable?
Are polar bears left-handed?
Fact, polar bears are left-handed.
Do you like trivia?
Sure.
I love trivia. Keeps me sharp.
General knowledge.
Oh, that's... that's great, Mr. Fitzy.
Just Fitzy.
Fitzy.
Okay, well, getting back--
Of course, I think it's doable.
Shouldn't take more
than a few days to get this place fixed up.
Just in time for Christmas.
Excellent. How soon do you think you can start?
Oh, I don't do the actual work.
Oh, right. 'Cause you're the contractor.
Sorry, what we mean is,
when do you think your crew can start?
I don't have a crew. I'm a DIY contractor.
DIY?
DIY stands for do-it-yourself.
Yes, I know what--
Trivia.
The way I work is that I'm your contractor.
I tell you what to do and you do all the work.
Okay, but if we do all the work,
then what exactly do we need you for?
My expertise.
And all that's because of the Industrial Revolution.
Doorknob. Put that on the list.
Doorknobs were invented in 1878.
Huh.
Oh, look at that.
That could come down at any time.
Just like The Phantom of the Opera by Gaston Leroux.
Chandelier canopy needs to be tightened.
Put it on the list.
[exhales]
New electrical wiring for the cooker.
A new cooker. Put it on the list.
Electricity. Nikola Tesla, 1887.
Don't let anyone tell you it was Edison either.
That's an incorrect answer.
This will need a new paint job, too.
I'll put it on the list.
I feel like I'm stuck in an episode of Jeopardy.
Yeah, except we're not the ones asking the questions.
Hinges.
On the list.
Do you know what damages this wood more than rain?
What is the sun?
I know it may seem like a lot, but it'll be a breeze.
You'll find everything you need
in the local hardware store in town.
[car honk]
- Oh. - Oh.
So I guess we're in charge of getting the supplies too.
Yeah.
♪
So we have all of our supplies?
Check.
Work clothes?
Check.
Are you sure this is a good idea?
I am not even remotely a handy person.
You're talking to a writer here, so.
Yeah. Speaking of writing,
you still haven't told me what your movie's about.
We weren't speaking of writing.
[clears throat]
[chuckles]
It's about Christmas and, uh... and romance.
Yeah, I know that part.
It's a love story. It's about long-lost love
that's found again at Christmas.
Mm. Sounds incomplete. Sam Stackhouse.
It is incomplete, Sophie Marlow.
Marlow.
Yes, I'm a Marlow.
Henry was my great uncle.
Did you know Henry?
No.
We had a friend in common, though.
Merry Christmas.
Who was that?
That's old George Wayne. His grandfather who founded this town.
Waynesbridge was founded in 1919
by two very wealthy families.
Let me guess. The Waynes and the Bridges.
That's what makes you such a good lawyer.
Both families were huge farming moguls,
and they, I guess, got tired
of competing against each other
because they decided to team up.
And eventually they started
marrying their sons and daughters off to each other.
Kind of like a local version of a royal family.
Oh.
And then there was Henry the farmer in the middle of it.
Hm.
I wonder how he knew my name.
I guess he heard me calling you Marlow.
Oh.
Yeah. I've seen him around town a couple of times.
From what I understand, he's quite a recluse,
and he only kind of comes out
to ward off the big industry
trying to buy out this whole town.
Oh, interesting.
♪ I'm filling up my Christmas list ♪
♪ with gifts for girls and boys. ♪
♪
♪ Christmas time will soon be here. ♪
I think fixing this place is going to be a cinch.
[crash]
Huh?
You gotta be kidding me?
Okay, great. Thank you.
Aha!
Looks like we're going
to have to update the entire electrical system.
[in unison] Put it on the list.
Oh.
Look at this.
Mm.
Check this out.
Let's watch it.
That's Henry.
Look how young he was.
Who do you think the woman was?
I have no idea.
But whoever she is, one thing's for certain,
those two are in love.
Wait. Look it's us.
Look how young we were.
Awe. And how happy.
I want to point out
that you were taller than me back then.
There was a time.
Okay, here we go.
Well, that was surreal... - Mmhmm.
seeing ourselves like that.
The best Christmases I ever had
were the ones I spent here as a kid.
Why did you never come back?
I don't know.
Life got in the way, I guess.
One year turned into five. And...
sometimes you find yourself being led on a path
that takes you far from where you started.
Why did you leave?
I think I just got to the point
where I felt like I was missing out,
and I figured I owed it to myself to get out there
in the world and to find my place.
And yet we both found ourselves back here
where we started.
It's nice to see you again, Soph.
I was beginning to think I never would.
Me too.
[dog barks]
Well, thank you for gracing us
with your conscious presence, Richard.
[Sam chuckles]
[hammering]
Hello?
- Morning. - Oh, Fitzy.
Sorry to disturb.
This is a deep well you have here.
Very deep.
Thanks.
Vera King asked me to come out.
Says she needs a water line here analyzed.
Okay.
Have fun.
Have a great day.
[laughs]
[loud thudding noises]
No.
Oh.
[knocking]
Uh...
Oh.
You see, that's why I said what I said about the pipes.
- I'll put it-- - Don't say it.
Okay.
Richard and I'll go for a little walk
and we'll give you a little privacy, okay?
♪
Hey, thanks for the shower.
Where did you and Richard Gere go?
I looked for you, but I couldn't find you.
I took him out to the tree house.
He said he wanted to see what the big deal was all about.
Oh, it is such a special place at this time of year.
Do you remember those nights right before Christmas
that Henry would get us all dressed up
and take us out there for Christmas picnics?
You put those little lights on the tree
that he put in the center of the clearing?
Yeah, we should do that before both of us leave.
Yeah. We should.
We should get all dressed up and everything.
Oh, I want to show you what I found.
Okay.
Look, this was yours.
I remember it from the treehouse.
I had dozens of these.
These were the inspiration for so many of my stories.
I know, you could make one up on the spot
and tell it for an hour
as if you were reading it from a book.
[chuckles]
And every time I tried to tell you one...
I fell asleep.
Yeah, that's the antithesis of the storyteller's goal.
I know, but it was just so comfortable and safe.
You should tell me one right now.
Right now?
Yes, yes. Anything?
Uh... your screenplay. What's the first scene?
How does it start?
Um... Once upon a time.
No, seriously. Is it a fairy tale?
No. Not really.
I mean, maybe a little.
Okay. What's the setting?
The setting is, um... is medieval.
Ooh, I like it already.
Long ago, there was a little village.
Hm.
At the base of a great hill.
And every Christmas, the snow would cover the trees
and all the land, making it a winter wonderland.
And the king of the castle loved his cakes and his pies.
And would have his cook every Christmas for everyone.
Every day a little boy down in the village would climb
the great hill up to the castle
and collect some of the cakes and pies
and bring them down to the villagers.
But that wasn't the only reason that he...
that he wanted to go to the castle.
There was a little girl that lived there,
but she could only come out at Christmas.
The little boy was in love with her.
And her name?
Oh, I did it again.
Like clockwork.
I'm sorry.
It's an honor.
What? What else is in here?
Hey, look at this.
Love letters.
I guess we know what Henry was using
that old Underwood typewriter for.
Hey, look at this.
Wait, but that's...
that's the same dress.
My darling J.
So... so he was heartbroken.
Mourning his lost love.
That's why he never married.
Oh.
You know what? I stand over here,
I get one bar on my cell phone.
Hey, check it out.
It's a newspaper clipping from 1962.
"Local heiress to marry magnate's son on Christmas Eve
"in a grand country affair.
"Jane Bridge."
J.
That's George Wayne, the old man that we ran into.
Yeah. You're right.
The Wayne estate is literally right next to this property.
So she left Henry to marry for money.
Yeah. And judging by that photo,
she doesn't look very happy about it.
Mm.
So much for better to have loved and lost
than never have loved at all.
[typewriter clacking]
♪
[knocking]
May I help you?
Hi.
When you said that you and my Uncle Henry
had a friend in common.
Was that person's name Jane?
Yes.
How did you know her?
She was my wife.
Both Jane's and my parents were adamant
that we be married.
I suppose our fathers saw it as good business
keeping the two families even more intertwined.
What Jane or I wanted was...
beside the point.
It was all very Shakespearean.
Hm.
A tragedy, as it turned out.
When we started courting, I fell in love with Jane,
truly and deeply.
She was such a kind, luminous soul.
She loved me.
I knew she did.
But I also knew I didn't occupy a whole of her heart.
There was a part of her love that was hidden away,
untouchable to me.
As our wedding day neared
I could tell that Jane was becoming
more and more distraught.
I said we should stop the wedding.
I loved Jane enough
not to keep her from the one she truly loved.
However, Jane came to me
begging to keep our wedding plans.
Henry told her that his feelings for her had changed.
She promised that her heart was mine.
I believed her.
We had such a beautiful marriage for several years.
Until the illness took her.
Far too young.
For a long time, I despised your great uncle
until I realized that he sacrificed his feelings
so that she could have a better life.
That is the saddest story I've ever heard.
At my age, I try not to see things as sad or happy.
It's...
...it's all part of God's greater plan.
And it's a gift.
I have something for you.
These should go with the rest of Henry's belongings.
Thank you.
[cell phone rings]
Hi, Gordon. Merry Christmas.
Ms. Marlow, shouldn't you be here?
No, we changed my flight to Tuesday, remember?
The Agromerge meeting is Wednesday morning.
The Agromerge meeting is happening now.
What? What are you talking about?
Layla's in the conference room with the Agromerge board members
as we speak.
It's Christmas Eve.
They're on a Zoom with Kevin Brixxton,
and I think she's using your notes like they're her own.
Okay. Can you video conference me in, please?
I can try.
[voicemail] This is Layla. Leave a message.
[beep]
[sighs]
There she is.
Sophie, I would like you to meet your potential buyer,
Thomas Carlaw.
He'll be coming in with an offer this afternoon.
Mr. Carlaw.
Merry Christmas, Miss Marlow.
I'm with Brixxton Investment Trust.
Brixxton.
Your property is exactly what our company is looking for.
Can I talk to you for a moment, please?
Offer?
I haven't even signed the listing yet.
Oh, I know.
I took the liberty of making a few calls myself.
These corporate buyers are very motivated.
They are prepared to offer you 25 percent over asking.
Why so much?
Oh, Fitz's report came in.
There's an aquifer underneath this property.
These guys are big agriculture.
This is a huge selling factor for them.
I'm sorry, Miss Marlow.
I tried to conference you in,
but the meeting has just ended.
[beep]
That's her.
Layla. What did you just do?
You're the one who decided
to take a vacation during a huge merger.
Vacation? Funny.
And that whole line about the Agromerge CFO
just happening to be at the Christmas party.
Oh, I can't believe I fell for that.
Yeah, well, the miso shishito peppers were to die for.
Didn't lie about that.
You used my notes as your own.
You know what kind of violation that is?
I could have you disbarred for sending sensitive documents
unsecured from what? A coffee shop?
It's a lawyer's office with a secure server.
You know what?
You would have done the exact same thing, Sophie.
This is corporate law, okay? It's not personal.
Besides, you should be thankful.
I am the reason that the Brixxton Niagara merge merger
is going to go through.
It's a huge win for the firm.
You seem to have forgotten the lesson
from law 101. Layla,
don't count your mergers until they're signed.
I gotta go.
Gordon, I need you to send me a full transcript
of what was said in that meeting.
Of course, Miss Marlow. Sure.
How do I do that?
Well, congratulations and Merry Christmas.
You are selling this place 25 percent over asking.
We did?
Wait. I didn't even think we signed the listing yet.
Oh, I saw Sophie earlier. I explained the whole thing.
You did?
She was speechless.
And I think she was certainly happy that it was
Brixxton Investment Trust that came in to buy.
I think she knows them.
Does she?
- Vera? - Oh.
That's Mr. Carlaw. Brixxton acquisitions.
I'll introduce you if you'd like.
No, no, no. Thank you.
I, um... I got someplace I got to be.
Well...
I just reviewed the transcript from my office and now...
I don't know.
And the worst part is,
my confusion doesn't just affect me, but Sam.
Ah, Sam will figure it out.
Were you and Sam... ever?
What? No. No.
No.
For some reason, I always thought.
Nope. No.
Even if I did have a thing for Sam,
I would never have a chance.
As long as I've known him,
he's only ever had eyes for one girl.
Do you think I'm a horrible person if I sell the farm
to a big company?
Horrible.
No. It does make me sad, yes.
You're going to be fine, Sophie.
And if all else fails,
you can come and be a barista barrister with me.
My door is always open to you.
Thank you.
There may be one other option.
[dog barks]
Hey, there.
Are you packing up?
Yeah. Gotta go.
I got everything I needed here to finish the script.
You have to go.
Back to the city.
What about our plan, Sam?
What about your part of the farm?
You can have my 40 percent, okay?
No, really. Just-- You can have it.
You can... you can. You can give it to charity.
You can do whatever you want with it.
It's just, um.
It was really good seeing you.
Merry Christmas.
This is fantastic. I love the new scenes, Sam.
The producers love them. Even the studio loves them.
And they don't love anything
that's going to cost this much to make.
When can you send me more?
Well, the whole script is going to be done by Christmas.
I just gotta figure out the last scene now.
Amazing.
Look, Sam, I don't know what has gotten into you,
but whatever muse you found, don't give it up.
Merry Christmas. Love ya.
It was a pretty slick move you pulled today.
You'll have to help me understand
why you did it like that.
What don't you understand?
I meet with Agromerge and Brixxton.
They're ready to merge.
It's worth hundreds of millions.
Agromerge's due diligence
shows that Brixxton has a water problem
in the area of the country
where they own most of their property.
Waynesbridge, Washington.
[Layla] Were you just so conveniently happen to be.
Hm. Convenient isn't the word I'd use here.
Brixxton finds a property with huge subterranean
water reserves that'll satisfy everybody's needs
once it's tapped.
They make an aggressive push to buy the property.
And who happens to be the owner of said property?
Your great uncle Henry.
It's just 100 percent dumb luck.
It's not luck, Layla.
It's Christmas.
And then you call the partners and tell them
that you're going to block the sale of the property.
Meaning Agromerge and Brixxton get shut out.
I lose.
And the partners lose.
You lose, Sophie.
I just don't get it.
It's something you taught me, Layla.
It's corporate law. It's not personal.
Which means it isn't about people.
[exhales]
Having merry Christmas, Layla.
Oh, Henry.
What am I going to do?
George Wayne, huh?
Yeah. He's gonna buy the farm.
On one condition.
That he also brings back
Marlow Maple Meadows syrup.
How'd you know?
Erin called me.
So what about the house?
We still get to keep it.
So I think I'm going to stick around here for a little while.
What about your job?
She didn't tell you the other news.
You are looking at the newest barista barrister,
and I'll be on the front line,
keeping family farms out of the hands of big business.
Falling forward, Sophie Marlow
And what about you?
Are you happy with your script?
I'm very happy with my script.
It turns out all I needed was a muse.
So is that boy from the village
still in love with the girl in the castle?
You weren't asleep?
[chuckles]
Yes, he is.
Turns out she was the one all along.
Sam, I think that we both had to travel the path
God put us on to lose each other,
just to find our way back.
Sophie, I should have told you this a long time ago.
I love you.
And I have, from the very first moment
I laid eyes on you when we were kids.
And my biggest regret was not telling you until now.
I feel the same way.
I was so heartbroken that day that I left
and I never forgot about you.
Ever.
Well, we can't make that mistake twice.
I agree.
Wait.
What?
Just... just one second.
[gasps]
I love you, Sophie.
I love you, Sammy.
How'd you know I was going to be here?
I just came out here
to try to visualize the last scene of my script.
And I really hope that you hadn't left
before saying goodbye to Henry.
I think it's time we set him free.
♪
Goodbye, Henry.
Go be with your true love.
We'll take care of the farm.
And from now on,
whoever wants Marlow Maple's Christmas sweets
We'll get Marlow Maple's Christmas sweets.
Merry Christmas, Sammy.
Merry Christmas, Sophie.
♪