SEATTLE COFFEE SHOP/EVENING

SEAN and ALLI are in a coffee shop, sipping hot cocoa. Sean leans back in his chair and gets a wistful smile.

SEAN
Good hot chocolate. But it's not my Mom's.

ALLI
You miss her, don't you?

SEAN
Yeah, Christmas was a big deal for her. Both of us, really. We used to do the baking cookies bit and Mom would make homemade cocoa, not the packaged stuff. She used to put gobs of whipped cream on top of each mug. It was awesome. Then, we'd string up the lights and ornaments and stuff...and in the background, the Christmas music would be on. Mom would sing. She had a great voice. When I was really little, she would sing me to sleep. (Sean sighs) We'd even go to midnight mass together. We had each other and it was cool. In fact, Mom was the one who'd taught me how to make a snowball and do snow angels...

ALLI (a bit wistful, herself)
That sounds so...so...great! My family can get a bit wired around the holidays, but we have fun. I wonder what everyone is doing now...I bet Carl is showing the presents to Cory and Elizabeth...and Steven'll come over tomorrow with Vicky and Jake and Kirkland. Grandma's probably overseeing dinner---

SEAN
It's not too late, if you wanna go and find out, Alli...

As Alli looks conflicted, we

CUT TO:

JAKE AND VICKY'S/EVENING

VICKY has her coat on, and stands in the living room with a pile of coats in her arms.

VICKY
(calling upstairs)
Boys! Jake! Come on! We're going to be late!

STEVEN (off-screen)
Coming, Mom! Kirkland can't find his left shoe and I have to help him find it!

VICKY
Well, hurry up!

JAKE comes down the stairs, and takes the coats out of Vicky's arms.

JAKE
They're actually finishing a little last-minute gift wrapping. Don't let the old 'can't find a shoe' routine fool you.

VICKY
I figured as much. Jake, I just thought of something....do you realize it's almost time for these two little girls to make their entrances and we don't even have names for them?

JAKE
They aren't even here yet, Vick...we don't have to name them until they're born.

VICKY
But wouldn't it be nice to at least have their names ready for when they arrive?

JAKE
Theoretically. But you know that if we pick out names now, all we're going to do is change them once we get a look at their faces.

STEVEN and KIRKLAND come down the stairs, each with a bag in their hands.

STEVEN
Okay, we're ready. Can we go now?

VICKY
Just a minute, Steven. (She turns back to Jake.) Maybe we should ask the boys.

KIRKLAND
Ask us what?

JAKE
Boys, your mom thinks we need to name your sisters right now before we see them.

KIRKLAND
Why?

VICKY
Because I think it's important that they're already named before they're here. That way, they know who they are from the very beginning.

STEVEN
I know one name already.

VICKY
What?

STEVEN
After Bridget, right? She has to be one of the twins' names.

VICKY
(hugging him)
I think that's a wonderful idea. And I think Bridget would be touched by the fact that you thought of her.

KIRKLAND
I don't want to name them yet. Because if we name them before we see them, then they might not look like their names.

JAKE
That's my boy...exactly what I said.

VICKY
(glancing at her watch)
Well, I guess we can't discuss it much longer or we'll be late. But I'm not dropping the subject.

Jake opens the door and nudges them all out the door.

JAKE
I'd never expect you to do so, sweetheart.

Vicky gives him a teasing punch as the door shuts behind them.

CUT TO:

HARBOR CLUB/EVENING

DONNA and MARLEY still sit at the same table, talking quietly.

DONNA
(glancing at her watch)
Honey, we have to be at Etta Mae's in a few minutes. Don't you want to call Tyrone?

MARLEY
(shaking her head)
He's picking me up here. We have to stop by the house and get a few gifts before we go.

DONNA
You know, we haven't seen much of you two lately.

MARLEY
(grinning sheepishly)
I know...we've been busy.

DONNA
I love to see you happy like this, Marley. You've been through so much in the past two years that it's time you were happy.

MARLEY
I AM happy, Donna. Happier than I deserve to be---

DONNA
---you deserve as much happiness as the rest of us. More, even.

MARLEY
Tyrone is good to me. I didn't think I could be this much in love with someone ever again...but I can. When I'm away from him, I want to be with him. When I'm with him, I never want the time to end. He makes me feel like I'm the only woman in the world.

DONNA
To him, you are.

MARLEY
And what about you? When are we going to see you with someone new?

DONNA
I don't know...maybe it's time I swore off of romances. Ever since your father died...

MARLEY
Michael would want you to go on with your life.

DONNA
And I have. I'm living my life through my two beautiful daughters and my beautiful grandchildren. That's enough for me.

MARLEY
For now...we'll see, Donna. I have a feeling someone will sweep you off of your feet when you least expect it.

DONNA
Well, in the meantime, I think we'd better get ready to go.

MARLEY
Why don't you call Lila and invite her over tonight?

DONNA
(staring at her)
Are you kidding me? You want me to invite Lila to Christmas Eve dinner?

MARLEY
Sure, why not? Someone needs to make the first move. Why shouldn't it be you?

DONNA
(hesitantly)
Well.....I guess it couldn't hurt. Okay, I'll call her.

MARLEY
(giving her a kiss on the cheek)
And I just heard Tyrone pull up. We'll see you at the Lucky Lady, okay?

DONNA
See you there, sweetie.

Marley leaves, as Donna watches her. When the door to the Harbor Club closes, Donna reaches for the phone.

FADE OUT