"The Gingerbread House" "Snow can wait..." "I forgot my mittens." "Wipe my nose, get my new boots on." "I get a little warm in my heart... when I think of winter." "I put my hand in my father's glove." "I run off where the drifts get deeper." "Sleeping beauty that trips me with a frown..." "I hear a voice..." ""You must learn to stand up for yourself... 'cause I can't always be around."" "Oh, God." "You'd think that if a person had been lied to and deceived... and just hated that feeling of betrayal... you'd think that person would find a way... never, ever to do that to another human being." "You'd think that, wouldn't you?" "I'm so sorry." "It's okay." "It's okay." "Was it just, uh, traffic..." "or are you trying to avoid me?" "I'm just joking." "I know, I know." "I'm really sorry." "I just should have left the house earlier." "Well, we have 42 minutes..." "so what do you want to do?" "And don't say shop." "So how's everything at your house?" "Terrifying-- I'm so behind." "I don't have a tree." "How about your circuitry?" "Did you get all that reconnected?" "Yeah, Jake was done with the rewiring..." "like, two days ago." "And what do you want..." "for Christmas, little girl?" "Nothing." "Oh, I do want it to snow..." "'cause the girls would really love that." "What do you want?" "I have no idea what to get you." "See if you can guess what I want." "World peace?" "I just..." "I've missed you, that's all." "I know." "This is just... just this crazy time of year." "Well, we still have tomorrow night, right?" "We do still have tomorrow night?" "Oh, no, yeah, of course." "Naomi, you're an angel." "Your templates..." "your warp-proof baking pan... your parchment..." "and your pastry bag." "Oh, thank you so much." "This is perfect." "And here's her book..." "with all the instructions." "I've always wanted to make a real gingerbread house." "Look at these pictures!" "Stop." "Don't look at the pictures." "It'll never look like the pictures." "Oh, yes, it will, if I just do what she says." "Look at the roof, with the icing like snow... these tiny, little windows..." "Lily, we're not talking about muffins here." "This is a gingerbread house from scratch." "It's hard." "Remember childbirth?" "This is harder." "So, is this for Rick?" "What?" "No, no, I would never give Rick a gingerbread house." "He'd probably just renovate it or something." "Actually, I have no idea what to get him." "Lily, what's the matter?" "I don't know." "I just haven't had enough sleep lately, really." "We're home!" "Oh, the Santa paper." "The what?" "I have to hide one of these wrapping papers from Zoe... because it's from Santa." "You're kidding." "You still do that?" " Shh!" " Mom, guess what!" " Hey!" " Hey, there." "Oh, hello, Naomi." " Hey!" " Hello, Jake." "Is this what she's not supposed to know about, or" "Quiet, you!" "Gracie, you look so happy." "I'm okay." "Wait, what am I not supposed to know about?" "How gorgeous you are." "Okay, bye, now." "Good luck with the house." " Thanks, Naomi." " What house?" "Something I'm just working on." " Mom, so guess what." " No, let Daddy tell her." "Dad?" "What?" "Oh, well..." "Tom Lovatelli called me." " You know the condo they have in Wisconsin?" " Yeah?" "Well, it's ours for the holidays." "I--If we want it." " Mom, can you believe it?" " We could play in the snow." "That's what I really want for Christmas..." "snow." "Well, that and lingerie." " Well, the place sounds great, but I just think" " What?" " Graceful..." " I think the thing to do this year... is to have a really great Christmas here at home." "We'll build this beautiful gingerbread house... and we'll get a big tree... and on Christmas Day, we'll build a big fire." " Mom, you don't even know how to build a fire." " Yeah." "So is Daddy part of this really great stay-home Christmas?" "I shouldn't have told them about it." "I just, you know-- I got--I got excited." "I actually thought you'd want to go." "You thought I'd want to go?" "Well, you said you'd be willing to do at least part of this Christmas thing together." "That's completely different from" "So this would be moving it to a place where there might actually be some snow." "That's not what this would be." "I--I just don't understand what difference it makes" "It could still snow here." "I have to spell it out?" "Because here, you'd be here on Christmas Eve, trim the tree... take a bite of some of the cookies Zoe leaves for Santa, and then go home." "You'd sleep at your apartment." "You don't have an apartment in Wisconsin." "Okay, so I come over on Christmas Eve" "Finger." "Leave, and come back on Christmas." "And no sleeping here." "No." "I mean, yes, no sleeping here." "It's okay." "Um... can you see why... there might be just, uh, some confusion on my part... in light of recent events... uh, regarding where exactly I'm supposed to sleep?" "Yeah." "Okay, Christmas Eve, they're here." "I get them Christmas Day." "Up to and including New Year's Eve... and then, New Year's Day, they're back here." "Okay, and then it's me." "Kids, come on, let's go." "So, listen, if-- I mean, hypothetically" "Eli, you were due at the Christmas-tree lot 10 minutes ago." "Mom, it's volunteer." "Yeah, but that doesn't mean be late." "Eli!" "Jess, come on." "By the way, Dad, they need people Christmas night... to, like, load up the leftover trees." "Hey, Dad." "What?" "Yeah, sure, I'd be happy to help." "Great." "I can't find my other boot." "Oh, missing footwear-- how unusual." "That didn't stop Cinderella." "So, uh, if I need to switch that, I mean" "Switch what?" "Wait, why?" "Dad, we're used to it this way." "No, I--I'm just asking." "I mean, if things change" "W--What's changing?" "Well, nothing." "Dad, then why are you, like" "Dad, are you, like, going somewhere?" "Okay, we're leaving." "Bye." "Yep, we're gone." "I'm gonna go upstairs now." "Bye-bye." "No, I'm just asking if we can keep it... somewhat open this year in case" "In case you decide to go away with Lily." "Look, you're not the only one with plans." "So just don't give me this hypothetical crap." "Just make a decision." "Ta-da!" "It was in the hamper." "Mom, volunteer doesn't mean we have to come late." "I didn't realize we were exchanging gifts tonight." "You've still got four days to get me mine... but no pressure." "Hickory Lake Lodge?" "Voted the most romantic getaway in the Midwest... two years in a row." "Two days, two nights." "We just need to figure out when." "I vote for soon." "I think we owe it to ourselves." "Oh, absolutely." "I just..." "I mean, Jake can take the girls, right... for two extra nights, can't he?" "Well, he--he's just" "There's a lot going on at the restaurant, and none of it good." "I-lt would be kind of a gift for them, as well." "How--how's that?" "Well, it would be time together-- you know, father-daughters." "Well, that's..." "What?" "Isn't that a little self-serving on our parts?" "You mean--you mean, on my part." "You're right." "You're right, it is." "I'm sorry." "No, I'm not." "I'm not right." "I just really want this time with you." "I--I feel like we need it." "I keep picturing you in one of those ski outfits." "Oh, so it's come to this-- you're picturing me in clothes?" "This is gonna sound..." "No, please, tell me." "I actually have to go." "You know, like, because-- Oh, Lord." "Oh, sorry." "No, that's all right." "I'll get it." "Believe it or not, I have to get started on my gingerbread house." "That may sound made-up, but" "No." "No, no, it sounds extremely, uh, urgent." "Listen, no pressure... but I kind of need to know by tomorrow." "Know what?" "Well, whether to put a deposit down... or we lose the room." "No pressure." "What?" "I just realized that this is the first time... that we've been together here that we haven't" "Isn't it..." "since that first time?" "Yeah, I--I think it might be." "It doesn't mean that we actually have to-- necessarily have to have sex every time." "It shouldn't be an obligation." "I didn't think it was..." "an obligation." "No, that's what I'm saying." "It shouldn't be." "Listen, I'm sorry." "If I don't get started, I..." "No, it's okay, I..." "Here, I--I think you, uh, you ought to take this with you." "I have another one." "Oh, oh, yeah." "Sorry." "Okay, I will talk to Jake about going away." "I promise." "Good luck." "With your gingerbread house." "Oh, thank you." "Bye." "So, Judy, what am I gonna get him?" "He gave me something really big." "I have no idea what to get him." "Look through a Sharper Image catalog." "Get him a travel alarm clock that improves his golf game." "But he doesn't even play golf." "He plays rugby." "Whatever that is." "Good, could he be any WASP'ier?" " What?" " Oh, nothing." "Here you go." "Your first time wrapping a present?" "Well, next time, you wrap it." "Good deal." "Oh, isn't he dreamy?" " Oh, look, get him anything, okay?" " What?" "!" "Get him an emotion, since he has just the one." "Shut up." "I'm kidding." "Come on, he's a repressed Anglo-Saxon." "It's not a crime in this state." "Look, if it makes you feel any better... you don't have to get me anything." "Really?" "Thank you." "You don't have to get me anything, either." "This seems more for him than for you, huh?" "What is it?" "What happened?" "Oh, God, Judy." "What did you do?" "I slept with Jake." "Judy, he completely-- one night... just opened up out of nowhere." "He actually let me in, you know?" "I mean, he needed me... and he cried and..." "Okay, I get it." "You didn't tell Rick, did you?" "Oh, no." "No, of course not." "Because you can't." "You cannot tell him." "I know." " Lily." " I know." "So what are you telling me, that you and Jake are" "No." "Lord, no." "It's over." "Well, you better tell him." " You just told me not to." " No, not Rick." "Jake." "Oh, God." "No, you have to tell Jake that it's over." "Lily, this is Jake." "He's gonna assume that you having sex with him again rocked your world." "You have to tell him it's over." " I practically have." " Practically?" "What's practically?" "He's a man." "You got to draw him a diagram with stick figures." "Oh, Judy... you just don't understand." "He got the girls all jazzed up... about this winter wonderland he wants to whisk us away to... and I had to nix that." "I've had to take so much away from them." "I can't take away their Christmas, too." "I just have to make it for the next couple of days... get past the holidays... and then I'll put an end to all of this craziness." "And you're sure Rick doesn't know?" "Yeah." "No, he doesn't know." "Good." "Thank you." "Merry Christmas." " That's not bad." " What about this one?" " How much does that one cost?" " All these are the same price." " Daddy, come look at this." " Come on, son." "Yeah, a little one." "It's too small." " No, it's not." " Can I ask you a question about this Douglas fir over here?" "Hey, Dad, why is this, uh, folded into a paper airplane?" "No reason." "So, Dad" "Dad, are you really going to this place with the mom?" " Hopefully." " Oh, I meant to tell you." "I saw her tonight." " She was picking out a Christmas tree." " You did?" "Why don't you ever take us to great places like this?" " Look at this, Eli." " Yeah, why not?" "What?" "What?" "You both specifically stated you wanted to stay in town this Christmas, be with your friends." "Yeah, well, we didn't know... you were going to some amazing place without us." "Yeah, I mean, it is kind of unfair to take her and not us." "Well, I--I may not even be taking her." "Okay, I'll look into it." "I'll see if we can get some kind of rate." " Oh, thank you, Daddy!" " Thanks, Dad." "You're the best." "It'll have to be after I get back." "Cool." "So you sold Lily a tree?" "No, Nathan did." "He said her husband tipped, like, practically nothing." "Jake was there?" "Who?" "Oh, yeah, he--he was there." "They were all there." "The forecast-- cloudy skies with flurries..." "Hello?" "Hey, what's new?" "Are you in bed?" "I'm on bed." "I could be in bed if" "No, no." "I just" "Actually, I was just wondering what Jake's reaction was... about us going away when you-- when you asked him." "Hello?" "Yeah, I haven't asked him about it yet." "Why not?" "Uh, well, I actually haven't seen him... since you and I talked." "So you... you-- you haven't seen him?" "No, and I--I don't want to get into it over the phone, so..." "With me?" "No, I--I mean, with Jake." "Oh, right." "Rick, I'm gonna ask him." "I just haven't seen him yet." "I--I understand." "Uh, I guess that answers my question." "She lied." "Ha, a woman told an untruth?" "I mean, suddenly, I just" "I see it, you know?" "It's been in front of my eyes this whole time." "I just never let myself, uh..." "Wait, what was in front of your eyes?" "Thanksgiving, okay?" "Where was her husband?" "He was--he was right there, right at the table." "Where was I?" "Outside, sneaking around with the garbage." "I mean, everything-- everything she says to me now... sounds like some kind of made-up excuse." "Like, she told me she was making some kind... of a--a gingerbread house." "And all I can think is, "Why are you telling me this?" "What does that mean?"" " Wait, she's making a gingerbread house?" " Yeah." " You're an architect?" " I know that." "Freud would have a field day." "I--I could care less about Freud." "Who really worries me is her--her husband." "Why, what did he do?" "Nothing." "Everything." "He--he fixes the wiring." "He shops for trees." "He's always there, only she never sees him." "I went over there with a gift for her kids." "She wouldn't let me in the damn house because he was there." "And there's always a reason." "Rick, you cursed." "I mean, have I just been deluded all these months?" "Have I just been blind and deluded?" "Look, you know that plan checker for building and safety..." "Shauna?" "She's coming to the Christmas party." "Guess what she used to do before plan checking." "Oh." "Good Lord." "Isn't it kind of cheesy to make a house out of food... just for, like, decoration... when there are people, like, starving?" "Well, honey, decoration... is really important, too." "Decoration is beauty." "Some people are starving for that." "Like who?" "Grace, can you get me the parchment paper, please?" "It's in the hutch." "This gingerbread house looks kind of creepy to me." "What?" "How can you say that?" "It reminds me of that house... in "Hansel and Gretel"-- the witch's house." "And the house looks really delicious... and they think they're gonna get to eat the whole house... and, instead, well, the witch eats them... which must have been, like, such a shock." "Honey, this gingerbread house is absolutely witch-free." "Ooh, what's this?" "What's what?" "Hey, Zoe." "Zoe, sweetie, uh, brush your teeth." "It's time." "I'll be up in two minutes." "If you do one more thing to try to stop her from believing..." "All right." "Why do you keep looking at the time?" "I don't keep looking at the time." "Yes, you are." "Maybe I want to know what time it is." "Maybe he calls at around this time every night... and he hasn't called yet... and that's why you want to know." "I'm surprised he's still calling at all." "Mom, I'm not stupid, and I'm not Zoe." "I know what's going on." "What's going on?" "You and Dad-- you're getting back together." "What?" "I mean, you're not, like, announcing it officially or anything, but still" "Grace, we--we are not." "Did your dad tell you that--that we were" "Mom, nobody had to tell me anything." "I saw you." "What?" "Okay, I have to spell it out?" "I saw you and Daddy kissing... and then, the next morning, I heard him leaving your room really early." "Any questions?" "Okay." "God, Grace." "That's why I'm saying-- why is Rick even still calling?" "I mean, he must just be really dense or something." "And that's why I still think it's ridiculous that we couldn't go away... where there would be snow and everything... because Dad is just..." "He's really trying." "Mom, he is." "Even you should be able to tell that." "Damn it." "Hello." "Hey." "Did I wake you?" "Not exactly." "Were you about to fall asleep or something?" "Yeah, something like that." "Well, I couldn't go to sleep without hearing your voice." "I guess I've kind of gotten used to it." "To what?" "To hearing your voice every night." "Well, we don't have to, uh..." "I mean, it doesn't have to be every night-- like an obligation or something." "No, I guess not." "So, are you--you happy... with your Christmas tree?" "Yeah." "I--I got roped into... working... at the Christmas-tree lot somehow... on Christmas night." "Oh, yeah?" "Well, I should, uh..." "I should probably let you go." "I guess so." "Good night." "Good night." "So, are you or aren't you getting her the Discman?" "Uh, I'm not." "Well, I'm-- I'm getting her the Discman." "you know, you never got back to me about your--your travel plans." "Oh." "Right." "Look, I--I just want to say that, you know... if you need me to change a date..." "I--I'd be willing to do that." "Well, actually, I" "A--Actually, I--I have to, uh... call you back." "Rick, I'm sorry." "That's not what I meant." "Lily, look, I'm just saying that if you saw him..." "What I meant was that it wasn't the right time to ask him about it." "if he actually was with you, then why couldn't you just tell me" "I mean, just tell me instead of..." "Look, I--I'm sorry." "I know I sound like a" "No, look, obviously, I--I should have just told you, but I couldn't" "I mean, okay, yes, l-l did see him, technically." "But to me, it..." "What--what is that?" "It's, uh, nothing." "To me, it meant the same thing." "It was just another way of saying the same thing." "That's all." "It was a noisemaker." "I'm really sorry." "Oh, well, you keep saying that, but" "Well, because I mean it, because you're upset about it." " And--and it didn't" " Well, I'm not actually that upset." "It didn't occur to me to tell you that I saw him... 'cause it meant nothing, it was meaningless." "Well, then, why couldn't you be truthful, honest about it?" "Well, because I'm embarrassed." "Because I'm not--I'm dealing with somebody who doesn't knock, okay..." " Well..." " who just walks in and" "You know?" "He's..." "Shouldn't you be telling him to--to knock?" "Well, I don't want to make more of it, uh, than it is." "So..." "What do you think?" "Do you like the color?" "You know, we--we painted the--the walls... blue." "Oh, it-- it looks great." " Yeah, it does." " Blue." "Yeah." "Oh, Rick, I'm--I'm really sorry." "Okay, if you were a present for Rick, where would you be?" "Judy, why did you drag me back here?" "It's the day before Christmas Eve." "All the good stuff's gone." "That's ridiculous." "There wasn't any good stuff here in the first place." "Listen, you want to know the real reason... you can't figure out what to get him for Christmas?" "My sister's a pain in the butt?" "Because you've got buried resentment... because he pressures you." "He doesn't pressure me." "Just 'cause he does it in a soft-spoken... nice-guy, aw-shucks kind of way doesn't mean it's not pres" " He never said "aw, shucks."" " Well, he will." "Cheer up." "At least you don't have to get me a present." "You don't have to get me one." "Hey, what's wrong?" "You all right?" "Do you know that my girls don't think I can build a fire?" "Can you?" "Grace saw Jake and me kissing." "She thinks we're getting back together, and I tried to talk to her about it." "She shut the door in my face." "Oh, Judy, I shouldn't be here." "I'm just spending so much money." " Oh, come sit down." " And I keep getting all these Christmas cards." "Just relax." "Hey, breathe." "Oh, God." "The way I looked at Jake when I first found out he was cheating on me-- that's the look that'll be on Rick's face if he ever" "But you're never gonna see that look because he's never gonna find out because you are never, ever going to tell him, right?" "Right?" "That's right." "That's right." "So the girls are, uh, out?" "Yeah, they went to "The Nutcracker"." "I should have called, but I, uh..." "It smells wonderful in here." "Yeah, it's the gingerbread." "I can't even smell it anymore." "This has just not been working out... the way I pictured it." "Oh, the--the house." "I can't even get this stupid pastry bag to work." "Here, I'll-- let me try." "Well, when you've designed as many houses as I have" "Looks like snow." "Lily..." "Look..." "I don't want to do this-- second-guessing this and--and scrutinizing everything you say... and looking for some kind of..." "Because the truth is, I trust you." "I do, and I'm happy that I trust you... because tomorrow is-- is Christmas Eve... and because you have frosting in your hair... and because I can't be angry at you." "I just--I can't." "So let's just..." "Okay?" "And that's... that's all I came to say." "I slept with Jake." "Once, one time, a--a few weeks ago." "And I don't--I don't know how it happened... and I am not sure that I even think... it was completely wrong, but, um..." "I know that keeping it from you... is just hurting my heart... and I can't be like that." "I can't be like him and keep secrets." "I can't." "I mean, well, apparently I can... but I don't want to do that, not ever again." "And I'm sorry... because I know that I've hurt you... and I know this is the last thing that you expected to hear." "And you may choose not to forgive me." "Well, you're right." "Dad." "Hey, you guys." "How was the movie?" " It was cool." " Not very believable." "No?" "Well, let's get the heck out of here." "Hey, easy." "Santa always leaves some behind." "She asleep yet?" "Zoe?" "I'm pretty sure." "You know, we never talked about... that, uh, that night." "No, we didn't." "It's almost like it didn't happen." "Oh, but it did happen, you know?" "And it--it... it changed something, didn't it?" "Lily, did it change something for you?" "'Cause it made me feel..." "I mean, I felt something." "Do you know what I mean?" "Yeah." "Yeah, I do." "What?" "Tell me." "I felt that night that I knew, I really knew" "Knew what?" "That I didn't hate you..." " What?" " and I knew that our marriage was over... and that I wanted a divorce." "That's what I felt." "Oh, man, you are cold." "Why do you ask when you don't want to know?" "When did you become so cold that you could talk to me like that?" " Jake, you never, ever want to know the truth." " It's Christmas Eve." "Well, I tried to wait." "I wanted to wait..." " No, you wanted to get me." " like I've waited my whole life" " You know, congratulations, you really got me good." " Wait until Zoe's in pre-school, wait till Grace is less anxious... wait until you're less angry all the time or I lose 10 pounds, wait till the dream becomes a reality." "Guess what?" "It's never gonna become a reality." " What the hell am I doing here then, huh?" " Mom..." "I'll be right there, honey." "What am I doing all this for?" "You want to answer me that one?" "I don't know." "It's a dream." "It's a fantasy, and I can't live it any longer." "Sweetheart..." "You're getting a divorce, aren't you?" "Yes." "Daddy..." "Grace, come here." "Grace, come here, honey." "Leave that alone." "Honey, leave it." "I'll clean it up later." "It doesn't matter." "It's not what matters." "Daddy shouldn't be alone." "It's Christmas Eve." "Come over here." "Come here." "Yeah, he shouldn't be, but he is." "And I should have waited until after Christmas, only I didn't." "And it's horrible... but at least we're" "Well, there is no "at least"." "It's horrible." "Now I'm gonna finish trimming the tree." "And then I'm gonna be up in a little while, okay?" "Go away." "They made it all up, didn't they?" "Sort of." "Well, the part about the cookies, anyway." "I can't believe how stupid I was." "I was stupider." "I believed in Santa Claus for, like, a really long time." "You did?" "Way longer than you." "You know, you don't have to completely not believe in it." "I don't?" "No." "You can... believe in it, like, a little bit." "That's what I did..." "for a while." "I might do that." "Snow can wait." "I forgot my mittens." " Zoe, look." " Wipe my nose..." " Come here." " get my new boots on." "I get a little warm in my heart... when I think of winter." "I put my hand in my father's glove." "I run off where the drifts get deeper." "Sleeping beauty that trips me with a frown..." "I hear a voice..." ""You must learn to stand up for yourself... 'cause I can't always be around."" "Oh, my God!" "Oh, my God!" "He says, "When you gonna make up your mind?" ""'Cause things are gonna change so fast." ""All the white horses are still in bed." ""I tell you that I'll always want you near." ""You say that things change... my dear."" "It's all cracked on this side." "Mom, it's totally falling apart." "And it doesn't look like the picture." "Well, don't look at the picture." "We need something to hold these two pieces together." "I'll get the peanut butter." " No, it'll totally ruin it." " No, it won't." "Listen to this." ""The beauty of gingerbread..." ""is that it can always be repaired." ""The cracks and mistakes... are what make your house unique."" "Hello!" " Hi, Aunt Judy!" " Merry Christmas!" "Here's your present." "And here's yours." "Hurry up, girls." "That's beautiful." "I told Rick." "You idiot." "Wow, there's a tiny, little gingerbread woman in there... putting a teeny-tiny gumdrop gun to her head... because she didn't listen to her sister." "Oh, look, now she's putting down the tiny, little gun... putting on her teeny-tiny gingerbread coat... swallowing her gingerbread pride... and going after him." "Come on, guys!" "We'll miss the coming attractions." "Stop pressuring me." "I'm sorry." "What?" "See, the thing is" "Look, I'm" "I really don't feel like listening to you apologize." " No, I--I'm not apologizing." " You're not?" "No, I'm not." "That's not why I'm here." " Oh, I get it." "I get it." " I'm here, Rick, because I" "This is something I did by pressuring you..." " by exerting all this--this pressure." " We both did it." "And that justifies everything?" "Rick, you've been divorced for three years." "I've been separated for 11 months." "I got into this too soon-- before my marriage was really over." "And that's both our faults." "We both did that." "Well, I have nothing to say." "No, because you prefer silent judgment." "Rick, you have everything to say." "You're furious, hurt, confused." "I want you to let it out and say it." "Say what you're thinking." "I told Jake I want a divorce... and I told the girls... and I'll tell anyone you want me to tell." "Rick..." "I'm in love with you." "Why?" "Why?" "Why am I in love with you?" "Why did I have to fall in love with you?" "Why did you have to ruin everything?" "I had a moment of weakness." "I'm not perfect." "My marriage failed... my store is failing... my life is a big mess right now, and it's about to get worse." "And I looked and I looked... and I couldn't..." "find you the right present." "And now I know why." "Because all I can give you right now is the truth." "I just hope that's not the last thing you let me give you." "But I guess that's up to you." "Merry Christmas." "Rick." "Rick!"