A Christmas Open House (2022) Movie Script

1
My soul's on fire
With desire
Every single time I see you
My heart's on fire
Cause you expire
Love at it's utmost
You're what I need
The most
You may kiss the bride.
Ladies and gentlemen,
please welcome our newlyweds,
Janice and Teddy Lee,
to the dance floor
for their first dance
together as husband and wife.
Way to go Mom!
I'm ready for
Some one on one
But it can't be with just
Anyone
I won't settle for
Mel, you are a genius!
James! Thank you for coming.
This is amazing. You should
ditch that home staging gig,
move back from Atlanta
and do weddings full time.
No, I happen to like my job.
And I'm not ready to move back.
I'm still enjoying the big city.
I'd get married again
if I knew the reception
would look this good.
Oh, well don't tell Taylor that.
To him, obviously.
Like I could do better?
Hey sweetie!
Come tell Mel
how brilliant she is.
- Hey, you.
- Hi.
Merry... Mom Wedding Day
and Almost-Christmas.
Merry Almost-Christmas to you,
too.
He's right, you know.
You totally knocked this
out of the park.
Oh.
You are too sweet.
Mel was just telling us
that she's never ever
going to move back,
so we'd better stop asking.
No.
Well, I'm so close
to going out on my own.
And I've sacrificed too much
to give up now.
Like a love life...
- Excuse me.
- I'm sorry, honey.
But it's true.
You're the daughter of the bride
and you didn't even
bring a date.
Well, that is just because
I've had a lot of...
Work to do.
Okay, we get it.
Let's just hope
that job of yours
is keeping you warm at night.
It is.
My boss won't stop calling.
Unless you're dating your boss...
No.
That would be some
good wedding gossip.
Okay, let's stop bugging Mel
and why don't you come
dance with me? Your date.
We love you.
Love you.
- Save a dance for me.
- You bet.
Food...
Food, food, food, food...
Hangry much?
Oh, Gloria, you are a lifesaver.
Yeah, I have got two kids.
I can find food wherever I go.
Your mom looks fantastic.
And Teddy?
What a sweetheart.
I know.
I haven't seen her
this happy in years.
- Thank you.
- No, thank you.
Excuse me, since when do you
turn down...
Are you pregnant?
Wha... again?
How did this happen?
Well, it was Ray's birthday...
Chase just started pre-school!
You just finished with diapers!
I know, I know. And Ray and I
said that we were done but...
I don't know, honestly
I'm kinda really excited.
I'm excited for you. Congrats!
All right, well,
since my next 20 years
are pretty much set in stone.
What about you?
Wait, where's your date?
I thought you were
bringing Gary.
Uh, Greg. And no.
We called it off
like a week ago.
Uh-oh. What happened?
No, it's good. It was time.
We met at work
and he was a property lawyer.
And we just got too
busy for each other.
Mel, if you want love to find
you, you've got to slow down.
I know.
But have you met me?
Yes. Which is why I'm so happy
that you're here alone.
Can we just say "single?"
I call it like I see it.
Guess who else is here
all by themselves?
- Wait, is that...
- David,
pretend-your-pillow-is-him
while-you-practice-kissing
Phelps.
Okay, I had a crush on him
when he moved here
in like seventh grade.
Yeah and eighth grade,
and all throughout high school.
Didn't you two
go out on a few dates?
Yeah, but then he graduated
and that was that.
Why is he talking
to Ashley Burke?
He's not talking to her.
She's talking to him.
You know how Ashley is.
She'll just spout gossip to
whoever's in front of her.
We should bail him out.
- David, come here!
- What are you doing?
- Don't call him over here.
- It's okay.
- Don't call him over here.
- Shh. It's okay.
- I'll be right back, okay?
- Oh, sure. Yeah.
- Gloria.
- Hi.
- Oh, it's so good to see you.
- You too.
- Hey.
- Hey.
Wow, this looks amazing.
Yeah, yeah, you know.
Well, she single-handedly
turned this into
the classiest party in the
history of Rutledge, Georgia.
Well, she helped.
I was no help.
- Yeah, you were.
- No, no, I was no help.
- No, you were.
- No, none.
Honey.
Mommy, come and dance with us.
- I need a date.
- Oh.
If you'll excuse me,
I am needed on the dance floor.
Come on, honey.
- So cute.
- The cutest.
So um, I didn't know
that you and uh,
I didn't know that you
were going to be here.
I-I guess, I mean,
I didn't know that you and my
mom knew each other that well.
It's Rutledge.
Everybody knows everybody.
But you know my relationship
with your mom
is strictly professional.
I'm selling her house.
What house?
She didn't tell you?
Uh, no.
No, she did not.
Um, can you excuse me?
- You look ravishing, Mrs. Lee.
- Not so bad yourself, Mr. Lee.
Excuse me, lovebirds.
Mom, can I talk
to you for a second?
There she is.
Oh, Mel,
everything looks so wonderful.
You really outdid
yourself, kiddo.
Thanks, Teddy. I'm really
happy for the two of you.
Oh, that reminds me.
Here, catch.
Congratulations, you're next.
Not unless you plan
on throwing me a husband
to go along with this.
Also, not really fair
to the other girls.
I'm gonna let their moms worry
about their futures.
And any guy would be
lucky to have you.
Speaking of futures,
when you guys get back
from your honeymoon,
where should I be
forwarding your mail?
Oh, I forgot to tell you.
Oh, honey, I have been so
caught up in this wedding.
I decided...
Well, we decided we don't
really need both houses.
And Teddy's place is
in the historic district
and it has a pool.
David thought it
would be a great move.
Did he? Well, um, well,
I would love to help.
Oh no, you've done
so much already
and I know how busy
you are at work.
Doing exactly this.
I stage homes for a living,
so that they're easier to sell.
And I'm really good at it.
You really want to
help sell this place?
Mom, of course.
I grew up in this house
and I wanna make sure that
it goes to the right buyer.
And besides you know that
I'm thinking of opening
my own office in the new year
and this would be a
great first step.
I'll just tell my boss that
I'm extending my vacation.
Well, if it's what
you want, sweetheart,
but only if you work with David.
He'll get his commission
and then you and I
will split the profit.
Oh, mom, no, that's too much.
- No arguing with the bride.
- Okay.
Oh, you two can get started
while we're away.
Baby I love you
So much that I found you
I'm so glad
that you're mine
Baby I love you
I truly love you
Yes, Caitlyn,
I did get the message.
Yep, I am going to
send it over right now.
Yep, sending it now.
Okay. Bye.
Oh my God, David,
what are you doing here?
Working.
Taking photos of the house.
Janice gave me the code.
She didn't tell you?
No. That seems to
be a running theme.
Let me.
I got it. Thanks.
You looked like you needed help.
Yeah, about that,
I can take care of
getting the house ready to sell.
All I need you to do is
bring me a buyer at Christmas.
Well, I promised your mom
she's my top priority.
She's my client.
And she's my mother
and this is my house.
And I just wanna make sure
that everything is done right.
Technically, this is
my house too.
I have the listing.
Right. Well, uh, you take
pictures of whatever you want
and I'm gonna keep packing.
Christmas is ambitious,
but not impossible.
Hey, good thing
it's a seller's market.
The house could sell as-is,
but with a little sweat equity,
it would probably
boost the price.
Ever thought about renovating?
Honestly, I mean,
the place has looked
exactly the same for so long
I guess I never imagined it
looking any different.
Well, look up.
Imagine it.
Yeah, I guess it could use
a little sprucing up.
But just a face-lift.
I don't wanna knock down
walls or anything.
I definitely don't have the time
or the money for that.
Well, sure. Purely cosmetic.
It'll still have a big impact.
Yeah, and it's a family home so
I think it should be inviting,
but with a modern touch.
Just remember,
what works in Atlanta,
may not work here in Rutledge.
Okay, but you have to admit
Rutledge is a little
behind the times and outdated
doesn't work anywhere.
Like the living room,
for instance.
I mean, we should brighten
it up in here.
Lighten the walls, a new rug,
remove the blinds.
And we could bring in modern,
elegant furniture.
- Clean lines.
- Hmm.
Hmm?
I don't know.
It has a lot of Southern charm.
Charm and character
are big selling points
in small-town markets.
We could embrace the
historic look, clean it up,
get some big, comfy furniture.
I mean, it's the living room.
Let it live.
I don't know. What if our
buyers aren't from around here?
I think that we should go less
charm, more sophistication.
Like the fireplace,
I mean, it's such a focal point.
I think that we should lose the
tile and probably the mirror.
And maybe paint the bricks.
Oh, why don't we keep
the old bricks
and frame it
with a custom mantle?
That could be nice.
Do you think we could
get something like
that done in time?
When in doubt,
call in an expert.
David Phelps,
as I live and breathe.
And a Merry Christmas
to you too.
Ah, I see you got
all your fingers.
Have you seen my glasses
'cause I just set them down?
- Uh, your glasses?
- There they are.
Nice. Sarah's there.
Hey, Sarah.
David, hey.
Merry almost Christmas.
There's somebody I want you
guys to meet. This is Melissa.
We went to high school together.
We're working on selling her
mom's home here in Rutledge.
Melissa is a professional
home stager out of Atlanta.
Nice to meet you.
Yeah, it's good to meet you too.
What can we do for you?
Well, the house needs some
updating and right now
our main focus is the fireplace.
Here, let me show you.
We're wanting to give
it a contemporary feel
without spending a fortune.
Uh-huh, I see what
you're trying to do.
Here's the thing.
We're in a bit of a rush.
Yeah, we would need
it in like two weeks.
- Whew.
- Yeah, you can totally do that.
Do you already have a design
like in mind?
Actually, I was hoping you
could help us with that too.
- Sarah is an incredible artist.
- Oh, stop.
Yeah, we could do it.
Could you just send us more
pictures to work from?
I owe you guys so big.
Thank you.
Yeah, you do owe me big time,
but I got your back, buddy.
- Bye.
- All right. See y'all later.
Wow. Getting a custom piece
in the city on a time crunch
would be next to impossible.
Just one of the benefits
of living in a small town.
What about the
rest of the house?
Follow me.
Well, this bathroom's
seen better days.
The question is how do
we do this on a budget?
Well, the wainscotting's
got to go.
I don't know.
I think that it could be trendy
if it's done right.
And we could put wallpaper
behind the mirror.
Wallpaper? In the bathroom?
Wallpaper was in, then it was
out. Now it's back in again.
What about the pedestal sink?
Well, it's not original
to the house so I think
that it could go.
And we could get something
with more storage
and a brushed nickel faucet.
Well, let's redo the floor.
The tiles are in pieces.
We could do something
with a pattern.
I wouldn't go crazy with them
because I've seen it backfire.
Well, I'm willing
to take the risk.
This room needs a lot of help.
Yeah, now that I'm seeing
it as a potential sale
and not where I used
to eat pancakes as a kid
and it really does.
Let me guess, new cabinets?
New everything.
New appliances, hardware,
and a completely new island,
counter tops, new sink.
This room could make
or break the sale.
Kitchens are at the top
of a buyer's wish list.
What about moving the table out
and sliding in a
breakfast nook with benches?
Nooks are cute, but remember,
we're trying to
elevate the design.
I'm thinking two club chairs
with a table in the middle.
Somewhere where you can
drink coffee, read a book.
But this is a family home.
Kids love nooks.
Okay. Let's just table this
conversation for now.
I see what you did there.
Hey, so all the bedrooms
need are new fixtures
and a new coat of paint.
Here is where we have
the real heavy lifting.
Okay, so I'm thinking
we paint the door,
fix the broken shutters,
paint the railings and the deck,
and then put two sconces on
either side of the door.
And let's do something
about these dead plants.
Never underestimate curb appeal.
I've seen a big
return on investment.
Yeah, it's kind of a shame
we have to take all the
Christmas decorations
down to show the house.
Why? We don't have to.
You're right. People love
the Christmas spirit.
Follow me.
Okay, so here's
what I'm thinking.
We lose the two small trees.
We put a big tree in the corner,
fully decorated.
We can do lights in the windows.
And for our new mantle,
we could keep the lights
and the garland,
and just add candles
and some stockings.
What do you think?
I think it sounds
like a lot of work.
Well, I have two
empty credit cards
and two weeks paid vacation.
Still, we're gonna need help.
Which is why you're
going to help me.
I sell houses. I don't do DIY.
Are you afraid to
get your hands dirty?
You're the one who
suggested renovations.
I'll call in some favors.
I'll reach out to a local
contractor I trust.
He'll send over a few guys
and I could pull some comps
in the area.
See if I can reappraise the
house based on our plans.
And I will make sure the battle
plan is all mapped out.
Remember at any given time
there are about 50 homes
for sale in Rutledge.
So we have to stand out
above the rest.
I'm sorry. Did you just...
Did you just say we?
Bye, Mel. I'll see you tomorrow.
I can do this.
I got this. Okay.
Wait for a miracle
Morning.
Good morning... Santa.
Stopped by Mable's.
The coffee's free,
if you wear the hat.
How does she make any money?
She sells the hats
and they ain't cheap.
Mm, nutmeg?
Her Christmas specialty,
but I do not recommend
the holly flavor.
There are donuts inside.
I hope you guys are hungry.
Oh, that's mighty
kind of you, ma'am.
It's Melissa.
This is JB.
You remember Trey from school?
This is his little brother.
Oh, of course.
- And you know Coach Bernard?
- Yes.
Are you moonlighting
as a contractor?
Electrician. Coaching softball
was the moonlight.
Well, if you're as good
with wires as you are
with winning championships,
we are in very good hands.
Thank you guys for coming.
We have a lot of work to do.
All right, guys.
Oh, and good news.
I put out some feelers.
And there's a couple
with family money,
motivated to buy.
Looking to move out of the city
for a change of pace.
Oh, what did I tell you?
Are they gonna be able
to be here by Christmas?
Already asked.
They'll be here Christmas Eve.
Oh, okay, so that gives
us roughly two weeks
to get everything done.
Did you get the plans
that I sent over?
Yeah, I already told the guys.
They're ready to go.
- This is for you.
- Thank you.
I thought that
you didn't do DIY?
I don't, but I keep my word.
So come on,
let's go sell the house.
Let's go, fellas.
All I want
Is just a little more speed
'Cause fast
ain't good enough
To get me where I need
All I want
All right.
'Cause fast
ain't good enough
To get me where I need
Watch your hand in there.
I'll grab it from here.
Got it?
Hold on.
One-two-three.
Kitchen.
'Cause fast
ain't good enough
To get me where I need
All I want
Heads up. Heads up.
- Impressive.
- Yeah. You too.
You don't have to
throw out that stuff.
You know what a small town
loves is a garage sale.
I have a better idea.
Why don't we just donate it all?
You know, be generous.
That's what the season's
all about, right?
Yeah.
I'll call Gloria.
She'll be all over it.
Even better.
Up top.
I knew you were the right
person for the job.
You know it.
And because I love you the most,
I'm gonna let you have
first pick of the donuts.
Yes, ma'am.
I'm allowed.
I'm eating for two now.
Okay.
I don't think that's a thing.
It is when there's donuts.
Okay, this looks amazing.
I'm not much of a hammer
and nails kind of gal,
but organizing I can do.
I've got a box here going
to the women's shelter,
another going to a local church,
and then some furniture
being picked up by the VA.
And that's just the
past couple of hours.
Oh, speaking of which,
we need to tackle your room.
David, can you spare her
for a couple of hours?
I was hoping she could help...
No, no, no. That was a
rhetorical question.
She's coming with me.
Come on.
There you go.
Okay.
What have we got?
Oh, wow. Little break.
This too? Your mom
doesn't want any of this?
I pulled everything on my mom's
keep list. It wasn't a lot.
How did she put it?
She said she wants to get rid
of everything she doesn't need,
so she can make room
for what she wants.
I set aside a couple
of things for myself,
but my apartment's
kind of small,
so if there's anything you want.
With a third kid on the way?
I barely have room for the stuff
I already have now.
Then it's all up for grabs.
Why did I have so many
pairs of capri pants?
You made a choice
and you stuck with it.
Why didn't you stop me?
You weren't any help
when I went all into grunge.
- Which is worse?
- Touche.
Oh, what is this?
Is this the long lost diary?
No. No, no, no.
I thought I threw that away.
- You did not.
- Well, I should have.
"I wasn't even trying to sit
with Ashley and her friends.
"I was going to the back corner,
but now everyone thinks
I got rejected when I was
the one rejecting them."
I forgot about the table drama.
Yeah, it was really funny.
We should burn it.
Oh, nope.
Not til I find something good.
Jackpot.
Is this David?
Where did you even get this?
It has lip gloss on it,
with glitter.
That's...
- Give it to me!
- Oh, no, no, no.
- Give it to me!
- David, kiss my sparkly lips!
Give it to me.
I'm gonna kill you.
No, this is prime
blackmail material!
- No. I'm going to hurt you!
- Oh, please. I've had two kids.
You think I'm afraid of pain?
- Did somebody call me?
- What?
No.
I don't think so.
She said day bed, not David.
Yeah. Yeah, that's right.
I was, I was talking about
how a day bed would look great
in the upstairs bedroom.
- Ah.
- She's full of ideas, this one.
Okay. Well, I'll be working in
the kitchen if you need me.
It was more than
just a crush, Mel.
You really liked him.
After he graduated,
why didn't you keep in touch?
Because I had, I had summer
school and he moved away
and we just stopped talking.
You stopped talking, but you
clearly didn't stop feeling.
Yeah, well, that was a long
time ago and I mean, it was,
it was obviously nothing.
Maybe, but maybe it
could be something now.
Is there anything
about me in here?
Okay, you're done.
- You need any help?
- No. I got it.
Whoa.
You did get it, though.
Did I?
It got me.
All right, guys. You can go
ahead and take this too.
One, two, three.
Okay and those
chairs over there.
If I could have one wish
I would celebrate with you
And wash away these
Christmas blues
Here you go. Oh.
If I could make it snow
Pass presents
to people I know
Tell your mom I said hello.
Wow, I could not do this
without you. Seriously.
Are you kidding?
This is my Superbowl.
Hey, you. Ready to go?
The kids are in the car waiting.
Still meeting us
for dinner, right?
Yeah, of course.
Thank you so much for
letting me borrow her today.
She killed it and she made
a lot of people happy.
She makes me happy every day.
I thought it only fair
that other people get
to experience it too.
- Aw, thanks, babe.
- Of course.
- All done?
- Yeah, it looks like it.
- How's it going inside?
- Good. The guys are cleaning up.
That's great. The stuff for the
thrift store is in your truck.
We're gonna head to dinner.
Do you mind dropping off the
donations on your way downtown?
No. Not at all.
You guys are going
downtown because?
We are going downtown
because it's the second
Friday of December.
Nog-Fest.
Nog-Fest.
Nog-Fest, Nog-Fest, Nog-Fest.
Okay, okay. I take it
we're going to Nog-Fest.
Do you ever wonder why it's
called eggnog?
'Cause there's eggs in it.
Duh.
Yeah, but it's not like there
are any other kinds of nog.
There's not like butter-nog
or grape-nog.
Or frog-nog.
- Eww.
- Eww. That's yucky.
Oh, I'm the picky one because
I don't like cauliflower,
but you're grossed out over a
drink that doesn't even exist?
I want frog-nog.
See, she gets it. Come on,
princess. Let's find you some.
- I'll catch up with y'all later.
- All right.
Hey, add a splash of beer
and you could call it kegnog.
Hmm. No.
- What's up, guys?
- Hey, guys.
Hello.
Didn't this used
to be a pet store?
You need to come
home more often.
That was at least
four visits ago.
You missed a psychic,
a Yarn-Topia, and a bait shop.
Right in the middle
of Main Street.
It only lasted a
couple of weeks.
Yeah, we're still finding dead
crickets in the backroom. Joy.
A spice shop is certainly
niche for a small town.
You'd be surprised.
We sell a lot online,
but come cookout season, we do
gang-busters right here in town.
People take their
spice rub real serious.
Apparently their eggnog too, but
you guys are a clear favorite.
I'll take some.
- It's actually store bought.
- Got it.
Cheaters.
It's all about the presentation.
All right. We'll catch you guys
later. Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas.
This does not taste like kegnog.
You got whipped cream.
I didn't.
Oh, it's 'cause
mine is frog-nog.
Laurie's gonna
have another baby.
Yeah, but you're not supposed
to know that though.
You just told me.
Anyway what are you drinking?
Which one is yours?
This is kegnog.
I don't know,
but you got whipped cream.
- I have kegnog.
- That's not a thing.
Uh, oh great.
That is my boss, Caitlyn.
Since when did bosses
just assume
that their employees
are on call 24/7?
Around the same time
everyone got cell phones.
You can't be on call
if you don't have a phone.
- Well, this is true.
- Shoulda come home sooner.
Up until six months ago,
the whole west side of town
was a dead zone.
Well, that sounds like a dream.
It's still kind of spotty.
Missed call.
I gotta go.
I'll catch up with you later.
What?
I heard he has a girlfriend.
Oh, Ashley. Hi.
Yeah, look, I don't,
I don't really want
to hear any gossip.
Oh, it's not gossip.
It's common knowledge.
I mean, he gets calls
like that all the time.
Always whispering
like it's some big secret.
Well, he is a real estate agent,
so it could just be
business calls.
From clients he whispers to?
Uh-huh. Look, I'm just saying,
you should be careful.
Well, I appreciate it.
But I don't really care
that he has a girlfriend.
Fine. I'm sure there's a
perfectly good explanation.
There always is.
Ta-ta.
- There you are.
- Hey.
Ah, all right.
Wow. How much nog have you had?
Oh. None 'cause of this
little guy or girl.
So you're gonna
drink them for me.
- All of these?
- Every last one.
And I wanna hear about the
flavors and the smoothness.
- And does the mouth feels?
- The mouth feels?
Well, 'cause some
of them are spicy.
Spicy? Eggnog is spicy?
Okay, which one?
Let's go with this one,
this red one.
- Okay.
- Yes. Smell. Drink it slow.
- What do you think?
- It's creamy.
- Mm-hmm.
- Is it thick?
- We like it thick.
- Do we?
You know I'm probably going to
get like really sick.
Yeah, I don't care. Put it down.
Try another one.
- Okay. This one has handles.
- I know.
They knew what they were doing.
So I know it was
a bit of a drive,
but this place has
everything we need.
That couch is perfect.
This is great
for the living room.
But shouldn't we sit on it?
What if it's uncomfortable?
It doesn't matter
if it's comfortable.
It matters how it looks.
You want the buyer to be able
to visualize themselves
in the space.
And believe it or not,
rooms actually look bigger
with furniture in them.
For me, all I need is a big,
comfy seat and I'm happy.
Yeah, well, I'm gonna
go look at some pieces
that I thought would be
good for the bedroom.
- Okay.
- Are you coming?
This is so comfy.
Okay, I'm coming, I'm coming.
So I'm thinking one of these in
each corner opposite the door.
I never really
liked standing lamps.
The only benefit is
that you can move them,
but no one ever does.
Might as well put
a light on the wall.
I think you're thinking
too much about this.
You're the one trying
to decide between basically
two identical lamps.
The lamps have to look
good with the chairs.
Trust me, I know what I'm doing.
I believe you. I just happen
to sell over 50 homes
and never dressed any of them.
Oh, is that so?
Well, you're missing out
because staged homes
sell for 10 to 15% more
and in half the time.
So let's talk about this lamp.
How much is this? Nice.
Hey, let me call you back.
How'd it go?
Well, assuming that everything
is in stock at the warehouse,
we're good for a delivery
on the 22nd.
It's all starting to feel real.
- Point of no return, huh?
- Something like that. Yeah.
Um, by the way, where did you
disappear to last night?
- I tried to find you, but...
- Yeah, I...
I was dealing with something at
home. I should've texted you.
I'm so sorry.
Did you have fun at least?
Oh, yeah.
Yeah, I forgot how much I love
Rutledge at Christmas.
Yeah, it's pretty special.
- So should we go?
- Yeah.
When you have fun
Your heart has gone astray
Oh, she's here
and my hands are full.
- Okay, I'll get it.
- Okay.
Coming!
- Hello.
- Just in time.
- Hey.
- Hey.
- How was the honeymoon?
- Beautiful. You have no idea.
I wanted to stay forever.
Did you have any trouble
finding the place?
No. I didn't know that
this was Teddy's house.
I remember driving by it all
the time when I was a kid.
I wish I'd have visited sooner.
Oh well, you're here now.
That's what matters.
Wow, you weren't kidding about
the trains.
Well, what can I say? I'm a man
who knows what he likes.
You know what? If you think
this is something, follow me.
First door on the right.
Wow. This is cool.
- Welcome to Christmasville.
- Teddy's quite the collector.
I've been a rail fan
pretty much most of my life.
Now some of this was my father's
who handed it down to me.
Do you wanna give it a spin?
I-I don't really know
how to drive a train.
That's okay. There's rails.
Okay.
Is it this one?
Yeah.
Mom, hand me your plate.
Oh, no, no, no.
You're the guest.
You can't be doing the dishes.
Really? Well, you forced me to
do the dishes for 20 years,
so it's pretty much
hard-wired at this point.
Okay, well then I'm helping.
No, no, no, no.
Both of you,
give me your plates.
I will do the dishes
and let the two of you catch up.
Well, I am not going
to fight you on that.
Thanks, Teddy.
You seem really happy, mom.
Teddy's great.
He's a big ole goof,
but he's my goof.
He's good for me.
You know, I just figured that
I was done with relationships.
And then all of a sudden,
there's Teddy.
Like a puzzle piece you
didn't know was missing.
Fits just right.
That's really sweet.
Well, sometimes you just have to
be open to the idea of romance.
You know that bouquet? It wilted
after a few days, right?
Still counts.
You know that David sure
is handsome, isn't he?
- Mom.
- It's just an observation.
Well, we're just working
together and besides
David has a girlfriend.
He didn't have a date
at the wedding.
Are you sure?
It doesn't matter because
after Christmas I'm going
back to Atlanta and he's never
leaving Rutledge, so...
Yeah, and I was never gonna
move out of that old house.
Things change.
People do too.
You're unbelievable,
you know that?
Oh, hey, it's Sarah.
Sarah, look who I've got.
It's Melissa.
- Good morning.
- Hey. I love your shirt.
Is it forest green?
Yeah, it's one of
my favorite colors.
- Me too.
- Good eye.
I consider myself a bit
of a color expert.
Am I interrupting
something right now?
No, no. Not at all.
Well, I've got the first draft
on a drawing of the mantle.
- Do you wanna see?
- Uh, yes.
Okay. Okay, it's a
little more traditional
than what we discussed.
- That's great!
- Good. While I've got you,
I wonder how you feel about
a porch swing
'cause David showed me a picture
of the front of the house
and I feel kind of like
something's missing.
- Um, I love it.
- Excellent. We have one problem.
I don't think all this
is gonna fit
in the back of Santa's sleigh.
No, no. It's all right.
We'll drive down to you
and pick them up.
Yeah, sure. I mean,
I would love to meet you two
and see the shop.
Good. I think that
would be really fun.
Sarah, thank you so much.
Can't wait.
- See ya.
- Bye.
Sounds like we've got a little
road trip in our future.
Sounds like it.
- You ready?
- Mm-hmm.
You missed a spot.
Oh, I'm gonna
paint your face next.
Ha, Ho, Ho, Hoops.
So what are we doing here?
Well, I figured we've
been working double time
the last few days and
I thought we deserved a break.
Have a little fun.
Honestly, this never
made any sense to me.
It's Christmas. It's basketball.
What's not to understand?
Everybody's wearing a Santa
suit. Like who do you root for?
Rooting is for lookie-loos.
You and me, we're here to play.
Hey, suit up!
You know, I've always
wanted to be a jock.
Oh yeah? I was one.
- Hey, guys.
- Baby sitter?
I wouldn't miss
this for anything.
All right, Santa.
You're with me.
Sorry, babe.
Oh, ho, ho.
- Gloria, you're on my team.
- Yeah!
We are gonna sleigh you.
We are gonna put you guys
on the naughty list.
That didn't come out right.
Throw the ball.
On Dasher! On Dancer!
Ho! Ho! Ho! Go!
Hey, where's the ball at?
Oh, oh.
Hell no!
One, two, three.
Let's go!
Dude, yeah, yea... No!
Tanner, guard JB.
Game point, game point.
All right, defense, defense.
Let's go. I've got Melissa.
- Let's go.
- Want the ball?
No, wait. No!
- Good job.
- Hey.
- Great pass, Mel.
- Thanks. Good game.
- Let me buy you a burger.
- I'll buy yours 'cause you lost.
I mean, yeah, we've still
got a few finishing touches,
but it'll be ready
in the Saint Nick of time.
- Man, you guys are the best.
- Hey, is Sarah there?
Yeah, just a second.
Uh, Sarah!
- Yeah.
- Melissa's on.
She wants to ask you something.
- Oh, hey. I'm here.
- Hey, why don't you go in
and get the pins that we need
for the doors upstairs?
Okay.
Hey, so I only have
a couple of minutes,
but um, you guys know David.
I really want to get him
a thank you gift for all the
hard work that he's put in.
Do you have any ideas?
Actually, I think that he
would love a singing bass.
That's what you want.
There is one thing.
I feel like he doesn't have
really nice business cards.
I could design some.
Yeah, that would be, that would
be great. It's professional.
- Can I ask you two a question?
- Mm-hmm.
What was it like starting
your own business?
We always wanted
to have a family business.
It was something that
we wanted to do together.
Um, but in the beginning
there was no money.
We were spending money and we
didn't really have any clients.
And it was terrifying.
But we always knew that
it was the right thing
even when it was terrifying.
One day it stopped
being terrifying
and then it became really great.
And we've never
regretted it, ever.
Mm-mm.
So yeah, I think that
we should do the red.
Red? For the mantle?
No, for the...
Cupcakes. I'm making
cupcakes when y'all come.
We were talking
about icing colors.
Yeah, that. Um, I actually have
to go inside and get the pins
for the doors upstairs, so...
Isn't that what you just
told me to go get?
Right. Sorry. Um, I actually
have to get something next door,
but thank you.
And I'll talk to you soon.
- All right. See you, Mel.
- Bye.
Sarah, hey, I may need
your help with something,
but don't tell Mel.
- Ooh.
- Okay.
- Feels good.
- Close it.
- Hmm, feels kind of tight.
- Let me try.
Whoops.
I think we're stuck.
Well, call Bernard.
You've reached Bernard.
Leave a message.
Bernard's not picking up.
We could go out on the roof.
No, that's an accident
waiting to happen.
Ooh, we could call 911.
We're not gonna call 911
to open the door.
Call Gloria.
No. She's in the middle
of an ultrasound right now.
Let's just take a break.
I didn't put any breaks
in the schedule.
Remind me again whose
boss keeps pestering her
to work during vacation.
Yeah, you're right.
So how did you get into
selling houses anyway?
I thought you went
to college for engineering.
I did, but only for a year.
Oh, didn't like it?
I loved it, but when I came
back for spring break,
I realized what me
going to school meant
for my entire family.
Do you remember
my brother, Alex?
I remember you having a brother,
but I don't think
that I ever met him.
Yeah, we didn't go
to school together.
My brother Alex has ASD.
And it's been super
challenging for my parents.
Growing up, I didn't really
think about it because
he was my little brother.
I'd look out for him.
But, you can't do that
if you're not home.
I mean, my parents
never said anything,
but when I'd go back to visit, I
could see that they were tired.
They didn't have the
money to hire someone
and I was gonna be
gone for four years.
So you left college?
I finished freshman year.
And over the summer,
I took a job.
Didn't expect to
like it so much.
So you were back
in Rutledge just as...
You were leaving.
Yeah.
I remember you wanting
to go to the city
and make a name for yourself.
I was really happy
to hear you did it.
I, uh, I thought I might go back
and finish up my degree,
but I realized I liked my job.
Helping families find a home.
Welcome them to the community.
Wow, that's like the exact
opposite of my job.
My boss is all
about the big sale.
Investment properties
for the ultra rich.
You know there's this one
property that I've dressed five
times in the last three years.
And no one every moves into it.
It just...
The price keeps going up.
You don't sound satisfied.
I like what I do.
Seeing the potential of a place,
but I just... I wish that just
for once, someone would say,
yes, this is what I want.
I finally found what
I've been looking for.
I know that feeling.
I um, I need to take this.
I'll just take it on the roof.
- What?
- Yeah.
What?
David, what are you? Don't!
Hey Candice, yeah, it's David.
I'm here. I'm here.
Is he next to you?
How's it going?
Oh.
I got it!
I fixed it!
Let it move ya
Let it move
Let it move ya
Let it move ya
Let it move ya
Let it move ya
Jump on scene
Lights, camera, action
It's the main attraction
Seatbelts fastened
We're on a wild ride
Collide with the wild side
I wanna see you move
All right. Watch your hands.
Second one, please.
Wow, the king of DIY.
Hey, tried to tell ya.
I knew I would be.
You didn't want to listen.
You said you didn't do DIY.
You know, I'm just
full of surprises.
You are.
All right, all right.
Watch it.
Ready? Push down with me.
Watch your fingers.
- I won't get your hand.
- You know what?
You seem like you have
it under control, so I'm just...
Can I get you some
lemonade or something?
- Yeah, yeah. Would you mind?
- That'd be nice. Yeah.
Ah.
No, I didn't get
your hand, did I?
You can just take that
right to the living room.
Fancy.
Yeah, it's gonna be
the kind of house I can
envision myself living in.
You know you lived here
for like 20 years, right?
Yeah and if it looked like this,
I might have never left.
Ah.
Hey, follow me.
I'll show you where that goes.
All right, guys.
Let's go. Time is money.
Wow.
I hardly recognize the place.
It looks so different.
Well, good different, I hope.
We're not quite finished yet.
- When is it going on the market?
- Christmas Eve.
- Oh, you are so good.
- Well, I had a lot of help.
We make a good team.
We still have some custom
pieces to pick up.
And JB and Bernard still have
some things on their checklist,
but we can finally
see the finish line.
Well, I think we
should celebrate.
Well, we will.
We're gonna have a party.
Not that kind of party.
Um, follow me.
- A fake tree?
- Yeah, no loose needles,
no bald spots,
and it's easy to take down
once the place is sold.
But does it smell
like a Christmas tree?
I thought of that, so I got
a bunch of these to put
on the back of the tree
and a bunch of ornaments
to put on the front.
- Let's get Christmasy.
- All right.
Come on.
- Hello, hello.
- Hey.
- I brought a little helper.
- Terrific. Hi, Daphne.
- Daphne.
- She's a little shy today.
Where do you want us to start?
While he is working on the tree,
you wanna help
me organize ornaments?
Hey, that sounds pretty good.
I got the other ornaments
out of the attic.
Oh, Mel, look.
I think you were what, about
8 or 9 when you made that.
Yeah, I remember that.
Grandma Alice taught me how.
I used to love putting
that on the tree every year.
You know what? Why don't you
take that and the whole box
with you to Teddy's?
You're not gonna put
any on the tree?
No, I mean, not this one.
It's really important with
home staging that you don't
leave anything sentimental
or personal in the house
because you want the buyer
to be able to envision
themselves living there.
Well, lucky for us then, right?
I'll just go put
these in my car.
So I'm guessing more of these?
Yes. Classic, neutral, but with
a touch of holiday sparkle.
Hey Daphne, would you like to
help Uncle David hang one up?
- Yeah.
- Here.
Where? Show me.
There? Go. All right. Go.
You got it?
- Boop.
- There you go, baby.
Make it rain.
Oh Christmas tree
Oh Christmas tree
Much pleasure doth
thou bring me
Oh every year
the Christmas tree
Shines to all
so brightly
Oh Christmas tree
Oh Christmas tree
Much pleasure doth
thou bring me
Oh every year
the Christmas tree
Shines to all
so brightly
It's pretty,
but is it a Christmas tree?
What? Of course, it is.
It just feels like it doesn't
belong to anyone in particular.
Well, it belongs
with the, the new furniture
and the new kitchen,
and the new house.
No, you're right.
I'm just used to the popcorn
and the tinsel,
and the homemade ornaments.
Well, that's what the tree
at Teddy's is for.
- What's up, honey?
- There's no presents.
You know what, Daphne?
You're right.
And we need presents, so mom,
do you think that you could
maybe wrap some fake presents?
Oh, I think I do a little
bit better than that.
Today was great.
I'll be here early
tomorrow to pick you up.
I told the guys
to take the day off,
so they can get some rest
for the final push.
Sounds good.
See you tomorrow.
- All right. Good night.
- Night.
- Gloria.
- Night, David.
Daphne's asleep in the car.
Thank you so much for your help.
Are you kidding me?
We should be thanking you for
keeping us out of the house.
You know, kids are way better
one on one.
Well, enjoy while you can 'cause
you're about to be outnumbered.
Oh, don't remind me.
So tomorrow's the big day, huh?
You and David, road trip?
Ah, it's just a work day.
Just like every other day.
And it's just a couple
of hours there and back.
A couple of hours
in a truck, alone,
nothing to do except
talk about the future
or the past.
You sound like my mother.
Janice is a wise woman.
Nothing is gonna happen
because David has a girlfriend.
Wait, really?
He never told me.
Same, which means he's
not mentioning her
because he doesn't see me
that way, red flag.
Or he's keeping her a secret
because he's a player,
double red flag either way.
Here I thought
he was a normal guy.
Wait, that sounds
exactly like a normal guy.
It doesn't even matter
because in two days the buyers
are gonna come here
and then all that's left to do
is email paperwork
and sign a big check.
Both things that
I can do from Atlanta.
Don't take this the wrong way,
but I kind of hope you can't
sell it for two more trimesters.
- Good night, mama.
- Night, hun.
- Love you.
- Love you more.
- Good morning.
- Good morning.
Ready to hit the road?
The depends,
do I get to pick the tunes?
Driver picks the tunes.
You have got to be kidding me.
Come on.
It's gonna be fun.
Vamanos.
Seatbelt.
Hello Santa
Hello Santa
Okay.
You're killing me.
- Gloria owes me 20 bucks.
- What?
She thought you could
make it through one song,
but you didn't.
I didn't know there
were bets being made.
Gloria has to pay up.
You're kidding me.
- Niche wasn't it?
- I know.
Children bundled up
and making snowmen
And then can you
straighten everything?
Hey, this is about to be
the best food you've ever had.
- You first.
- Ready. Yep. I missed this.
Come on. They don't have
fried chicken in Atlanta?
Well, they do,
but not like this.
We used to come here every
year when we were on our way
to my grandparent's house.
- Just for the food?
- Yes, just for the food.
You know, you've always known
how to get what you want.
What do you mean?
Well, all through school, if you
put your mind to something,
you always knew how to get it.
Like when you ran
for student body president
as a junior and won.
That was impressive.
I really admired that.
And now with the house.
You set this crazy deadline
and yet here we are.
- Eat your food.
- I'm gonna eat.
- Mm.
- Yeah?
- Delicious.
- Told you.
Amazing.
And with the house stuff,
I mean, I had a lot of help.
I couldn't have done
it without you guys.
I'm sure you would've
found a way.
Yeah, but just because
I would've had to.
I'm going to Atlanta
with or without the money.
I would really prefer with.
By the way, what is this?
You did it with Henry.
Oh, oh, oh. It's noodling.
That's how I met Henry.
What is noodling?
All right, you go to the water,
you find some rocks or roots,
anywhere they can hide.
You stick your hand in until the
catfish gets mad and bites you.
- What? Why?
- That's how you catch it.
When he gets mad and it
bites you, you grab it.
So it's like fishing. I mean,
technically it is fishing.
- Then why not use a rod?
- No, oh, no, no.
These are not like little baby
fish we're talking about.
My personal best
was a 42 pounder.
Henry caught a 72 pounder.
Can you imagine wrestling
with that thing in the mud?
What?
None of what you just
said made any sense to me.
You know,
you have a great laugh.
What?
Yeah, it's the kind of laugh
people want to join in.
It's a good laugh.
Thanks.
You're welcome.
- Well, here we are.
- Wood you look at that? Cute.
You expect anything less
from Sarah and Henry?
No, absolutely not.
- Ho, ho, ho!
- Oh my gosh!
David! Melissa! It's so good
to meet in person finally.
- Yes. Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas.
You too. You guys are
still doing this.
- We always will.
- Oh I just learned what that is.
- Yeah, are you a noodler?
- Now I am.
- Let's see what you got.
- Oh, you've been practicing.
I hear ya. I like it.
Let's go show them what
we've been working on.
- What have we been working on?
- It's so good.
- Oh, yes.
- Do you?
- Yeah.
- What have we been working on?
I feel like I'm back home, guys.
The place hasn't changed.
Y'all ain't ready.
I'm about to blow your mind.
Okay.
Wait. Shouldn't it
be more dramatic?
It definitely needs
to be more dramatic
'cause it's gonna be dramatic.
Here we go.
Booya!
Wow. You guys, it's perfect.
Do you really like it?
Oh, shoot. My phone died.
Can you, can you take a picture
on your phone?
I have so many pictures
of it I can send you.
I'm really proud
of how it turned out.
I went with mahogany
because it's gonna be
against a fireplace
and I thought about you know,
shrinking and the heat drying
it out and everything.
And I used all um,
mortis and tenon joints,
and I used domino joints.
And then these are
hand-carved flutes
and I just wanted it to make...
Sorry, I tend to
get in the weeds.
Don't ask him about table saws
or we'll be here all night.
Ooh, hey, they're right here.
Check this out.
- And it's forest green.
- I do have a thing for green.
- Me too.
- Yeah.
I love it. I can't wait
to go back and try it out.
I mean, there's something
to be said for a cold glass of
lemonade on a front porch swing.
Or a cold beer.
If it's on the front porch,
it's gotta be sweet tea.
Well, it tis the season,
so I say hot cocoa.
Girl, preach.
I like it.
Okay, well,
should we load it up?
- Now?
- You just got here.
- You have to go now?
- No.
- Do you have to leave?
- No, no, no.
Can we not hang out
a little bit?
- You know what I've got in mind?
- Oh, you wanna go there?
- Mm-hmm, you wanna go see Astor?
- Is he bartending?
He is. He asked about
you the other night.
It'll be fun. You'll love it.
Wow.
God rest ye merry gentlemen
God rest ye merry gentlemen
God rest ye merry gentlemen
Remember Christ our Savior
was born upon this day
To save us all
from Satan's power
When we were gone astray
Oh tidings of comfort and joy
comfort and joy
Oh tidings of
comfort and joy
That's what I'm talkin' about.
How about this guy, y'all?
First time on stage.
Woo!
Ow, Ow!
- Cheers!
- Cheers, guys!
- You guys were great up there.
- Thank you. You're sweet.
And the Santa hat was
an excellent touch.
- It really takes it up a notch.
- That's his holiday look.
- Wait, hey, what about me?
- Oh, he was up there?
Ooh, who's going to tell him?
- Yeah.
- I'm just kidding.
- You were so adorable up there.
- Wasn't he adorable?
- Thank you, guys.
- I say that all the time.
- Thank you.
- And this place is amazing.
Thank you so much
for bringing us here.
- Isn't it great?
- Yeah.
- We come here all the time.
- It's a special spot.
It is.
It's actually where we met.
- What? Really?
- This is a great story.
- You guys gotta tell it.
- Is it though?
It's a great story.
So I walk in.
- Okay.
- All right.
Sarah's on stage performing
and doing a great job
and I'm thinking you know,
maybe a little help.
Yes, so he grabs the microphone
and gets on stage
to sing back up with me.
That's right. And the crowd goes
wild because they've never heard
such an incredible voice.
- Uh-huh.
- And I went wild for Sarah.
And here we are.
Anyway, you wanna
go downtown and...
Let's walk through
the pocket park, okay?
- They're busking.
- Busk a...
- Busk a move Thursday.
- Busk a move Thursday.
Busk a move Thursday.
Do you like to dance?
- Sure.
- Great.
- Sound good? Y'all got time?
- Great.
- Always.
- Cheers, guys. Yeah.
This place is so cute.
It reminds me of Rutledge.
You know, I feel like there
is a saying about small towns,
how they're all kind of the
same in their own unique way.
But people are also always
saying, you know,
I couldn't care less
about this or that.
But we like to say that
you know, in a small town,
we couldn't care more, which
is why we love it so much.
And why I moved
back to Rutledge.
That's right. Yeah.
This guy, he used to have
a big, cushy job in Atlanta.
- Wait, you were in Atlanta?
- Just for a little.
A couple of years after I
started selling homes,
I got an offer in the big city,
so my brother was doing better
and I just took it.
- But uh-
- Something was missing?
- Yeah. Is that...
- Hey, come dance with me.
- You wanna dance?
- Dance with me.
Okay. Come on.
The first Noel
Began...
- Oh.
- Just a little fancy.
For shepards
In fields where they lay
- Hi.
- Hi.
Lay keeping their sheep
On a cold winter's night
- Are you okay?
- Yeah, I'm fine. It's just...
- What is this?
- What is?
Us, the flirting,
the getting close.
- I know you have a girlfriend.
- What?
I just don't know why you
haven't mentioned her before.
- What are you talking about?
- I saw her on your phone.
Candice. And you run out
of the room to talk to her
every time she calls.
Candice isn't my girlfriend.
She's my brother's caretaker.
When he gets worked up
and she can't calm him down,
she calls me.
- But Ashley said that-
- Ashley Burke?
Have you ever known her
to be right about anything?
Well, now I feel like an idiot.
I never stopped
thinking about you.
It's just that we've never been
in the same place long enough.
Well, we're here now.
But the buyers come tomorrow
and if they like the place,
we're done. You go back to
Atlanta and start your business.
Yeah, that is...
That's the plan.
Then we probably shouldn't.
Yeah, you're probably right.
Sleep in heavenly peace
That ain't going nowhere.
Nah, we're good.
The homemade cupcakes
that I promised, red icing.
- They're good.
- Yeah?
They are, especially
with a hot cup of cocoa.
Thank you so much
and these are a work of art.
I mean, they're the perfect
addition for the house.
- We loved making them.
- We did.
- Yeah?
- Yeah.
I hope the sell goes well.
Will you let us know?
Oh, of course.
Y'all need to come back,
all right?
- All right.
- Be careful. All right.
- Love you. Merry Christmas.
- Don't be gone so long.
- Merry Christmas.
- Merry Christmas.
- Yeah.
- Love you, buddy.
- You don't be a stranger.
- Merry Christmas.
Be careful. Make him behave.
It's gonna be an
awkward ride home.
Yep.
Kind of grows on you, huh?
The music.
Yeah.
No, no, no, no.
Is that the furniture that
just arrived yesterday?
Hey. Wait. Stop. Hey.
What are you doing?
I'm picking up.
Your order got cancelled.
It's all going back
to the warehouse.
No, no.
It was delivered yesterday.
I rented it for a month.
Hey, I don't do
the billing, okay?
I just go where they send me.
Here. Here's a receipt.
Call the office in the morning.
If they made a mistake,
we'll bring it all back.
- Tomorrow?
- Ah, Christmas Eve. Doubt it.
Worse case,
right after New Year.
No, no. I don't need it
New Year's. I need it now.
Hey, look. I don't know what
to tell you, lady, all right?
We gotta hit the road.
No, look. Look, there's been a
mistake. You can't do this.
I didn't cancel the order.
Hey, maybe it was
a clerical error.
Like I said,
take it up with the main office.
And when you call,
ask about the tree.
I'm sure they'll reimburse you.
All right, let's go. Wrap it up.
What? The tree?
The tree!
No, no, no, no, no, no, no.
Okay, we can clean this up.
- Let me find a broom.
- No, what is the point?
I can't redress the
whole place by tomorrow.
- No, but you could.
- No, David, stop! Please!
I know you're just trying to
help, but you're not, okay?
Can you just give me
a minute alone, please?
Yeah. Whatever you need.
I just feel like a failure.
Somehow they got the digits
wrong for the credit card.
They couldn't
reach me to verify.
And they had a code to the
house, so they just came
and took away all the furniture.
Uh-oh.
If I can't even do this,
how am I supposed to
run my own business?
What do successful people say?
Fake it til you make it.
Well, that's because they
haven't interviewed the tons
of unsuccessful people that
faked it and went broke.
I might as well
just cancel the buyers.
I'm not gonna have enough
time to clean the place up
and they're gonna low ball us.
So? If they do,
you turn them down.
I can't. I've maxed out all my
credit cards. We're out of time.
And besides, the house,
the house doesn't even
feel like home anymore.
At least not the
home I grew up in.
Honey, the house was never home.
Home isn't a building.
Home is family.
It's community.
Home is the people who love you.
It's a lot more
than walls and a roof.
The house needed
some sprucing up.
I still don't see
any train tracks.
Thank you, guys.
I'm sorry I let you down.
Oh. Never.
Oh, it's Christmas Eve, Caitlyn.
- Morning.
- Morning.
- Happy Christmas Eve.
- You too.
I'm really sorry
about last night.
I was upset and frustrated
and I didn't mean
to take it out on you.
No worries.
I hope that you
called those buyers
and told them not to bother.
I didn't because we
will find a solution.
Does that involve you running me
over repeatedly with your truck?
That was plan B.
I hate to admit it,
but being in the city
would probably help right now.
I bet there's a ton of vendors
and stores we could call
in a pinch, but here it's...
No, you just gave me an idea.
What was it that Henry said
about small towns?
How people couldn't care more.
We could put that
theory to the test.
We have some
phone calls to make.
Hey, a dresser and two lamps.
All right. Great. Got it.
Okay. I talked to the buyers.
I got us a few hours.
They're still coming.
That's great and since all
the stores are closed today,
Gloria put out a call on social
media and I'm already getting
tons of photos from
people all over town.
It's like an
eclectic digital showroom.
It's kind of brilliant.
Mel, you gotta come see this!
People are already starting
to show up with their items.
It's incredible.
And on Christmas Eve no less.
What'd I tell you?
Rutledge takes care of its own.
Give me some.
Boom!
Well, honey, go, go.
I can handle things here.
Come on.
The clock is ticking.
Norwood residence.
Yeah, yeah. What do you got?
Wow. This is amazing. Thank you
so much for being here.
It means the world to us.
If you've already had
your items preselected,
you can follow me
and David inside.
And if you're still waiting
to get eyes on your piece,
Gloria is your girl.
Uh, we only have a few hours,
but I really do think that
we can make a
Christmas miracle happen.
Thank you so much.
Let's do this.
If I haven't seen your piece,
go ahead and bring it up here.
That looks great, you can go
ahead and take that in.
Thank you so much.
Hey guys, good to see you.
That looks great.
That could go right here.
Hey. Um, right there. Thanks.
Um, that can go over there.
Jingle bells
Jingle bells
Jingle all the way
Oh what fun it is to ride
In a one horse open sleigh
I don't think I missed
a single person.
What was that?
Getting word out.
Looks like pretty much
everyone in town is here.
Great. Maybe you
should use those skills
for good more often.
Oh what fun it is to ride
You can take that
right up the stairs.
Yeah. Oh, and it's the
second door on your left.
Hope we didn't miss all the fun.
A tree?
That's not yours, is it?
Nope. It's yours.
I got it from the lot.
I snuck away when
you weren't looking.
And I guess they
saved the best for last.
This is crazy.
You are crazy.
- That tree is real.
- That's right.
It's a real Christmas tree
because fake Christmas trees
attract fake people.
So do you have any
ornaments we can use?
Oh, you bet I do.
What is the rules again?
Nothing sentimental?
No, we're breaking
the rules today.
Just give me something
that says Christmas.
All right.
You heard her Paul Bunyan.
We've got a tree to dress.
- I'm helping too.
- Yes, you are.
All right. Come on, team.
- Let us get this inside.
- Thank you. Thanks.
Yeah, right up there.
Oh, yeah, you can take
that right up the stairs.
Hey guys. Can you believe this?
What? You've never seen a whole
town come together and blitz
decorate a house for Christmas?
Girl, you need to get out more.
We figured everyone else
had furniture covered,
so we are bringing the spice.
Christmas potpourri.
Your house is gonna look great,
but it's gonna smell amazing.
Yes, it is.
Let's get that to the kitchen.
Ooh, love the swing.
It's so cute.
Okay, guys. Let's wrap it up.
The buyers will be here soon.
- Wow, this looks great.
- You look great.
- Thanks.
- I think we did it.
Yeah, I think we did.
Now let's hope the buyers
love it as much as we do.
Wow, this was a
massive transformation.
I know.
And I love what a difference
the new island made.
Do you know what I love?
The cozy sitting area.
- You were right.
- We were both right.
I always said all this needed
was a new coat of paint.
And a little love
from our neighbors.
I'm glad you took a risk and
went with the patterned tile.
It totally paid off,
the wallpaper too. It's in.
And how's this for
lived in? Feels like home.
And the mantle is the
perfect finishing touch.
Everyone, I don't even
know how to thank you,
but what you've done here today
is nothing short of amazing.
You have shown the true
heart of this community
and I couldn't be prouder
to be a part of it.
Thank you from the
bottom of my heart.
And I'm just, I'm just so
grateful to all of you.
Bryce, Candy.
Thank you so much for coming.
No trouble finding the place,
I hope?
Well, it's a bit further out
than we thought.
You drive a car like that,
what's a few extra miles, huh?
Well, come on.
Let me show you the place.
Why are there
so many people here?
We had a kind of send off
for the previous owner.
Speaking of, this is Melissa.
She grew up in this house.
You don't say.
Uh, Merry Christmas Eve.
Please let us show you around.
So a lot of what you'll see
has been recently updated,
but we still managed
to keep some of the orignal
character of the house.
Interesting.
Why don't we start
with this room?
So this is the only bedroom
on the main level, but...
Sorry, what's the
square footage again?
It's a three bedroom, two bath,
approximately 2,700 square feet.
Huh, quaint.
What else?
As you'll see,
we kept the original beams.
And these are new countertops,
new fixtures,
new floors and appliances.
Let's show you the next room.
Well, we saved
the best for last.
This mantle is custom made
by a very talented craftsman.
Both he and his wife made
the swing on the front porch.
Are all the furnishings
being moved out?
Uh, well, that depends.
Um, if you see anything
that you like, we could...
Oh, no, no, no.
We want it all gone.
Why don't we give you guys
a couple of minutes
to talk in private?
Let us know if you
have any questions.
This'll be easy.
- They hate it.
- No, they don't.
They're just playing it up,
so they don't seem eager.
I've seen this before.
Well, they're very good at
pretending that they hate it.
Will you stop doubting yourself?
You did an amazing job.
We did an amazing job.
See? That wasn't long at all.
After you.
So?
We'll take it.
And we're prepared to pay cash.
That's amazing.
But you have to come
way down on the price.
- Well, why is that?
- Costs.
It's gonna cost me 50 grand
to knock this place down
and then there's the money
I have to spend
- putting in a new house.
- You wanna tear it down?
New house, you know,
instead of this one.
This property is worth a lot,
but this place...
It's all a little small
townish if you ask me.
Oh my, that's
exactly what it is.
- Well, I don't know if...
- No, I do. I know.
Small townish. Well, guess what?
It's in a small town.
Rutledge isn't the kind of place
that has hundreds of restaurants
or exclusive clubs,
but what it does have is heart.
The people here,
they look out for each other
and they're not just your
neighbors, they're your family.
You can't buy your way
into this family.
Shh, quiet.
And I don't care
how many zeros you put
at the end of your check.
Oh.
I guess what I'm saying is,
unfortunately, the house
is no longer for sale.
They're not gonna get it.
Oh wait. They're coming out.
They're coming out. They're
coming out. Act natural.
I don't disagree, but I'm not
sure we'll find another
big city buyer before
the end of the year.
That's okay. I changed my mind.
- You're not selling?
- No, I am selling,
just not to a person who can't
appreciate this place.
I think that we need a growing
family that can
care about the house
and the community.
Us? We can't afford this place.
You need a bigger place.
And I have an in
with the seller.
I could get you a deal.
Mel, the whole reason why you
did all of this is so that way
you could take the money
and go back to Atlanta
and start your business.
Oh, I am starting my business.
Just not in Atlanta.
Caitlyn can have all
the big city clients.
I'm gonna conquer a new market.
And plus, I know
a real estate agent
who really needs
a good home stager.
I have to admit the place looks
better when it's dressed.
Uh, what do you say?
You want a new house?
As long as we keep the swing.
Are you sure Janice is
gonna be okay with this?
I'm more than okay with it.
I'm relieved.
We can cut the price
out of my half.
Mom still gets her commission
and the house basically
stays in the family.
Um...
Thank you.
And Merry Christmas.
Oh, but you know you still
need to give all the stuff
back to the original owners.
Well, except the Christmas tree.
It's the only
thing that matters.
Look, it's snowing!
So I guess you're
sticking around?
Yeah, I guess I am.
And you know,
I'm gonna need a real estate
agent to find me a new place.
Hmm, only if you
answer one question.
Hmm, what is that?
Ashley's been spreading this
rumor that you have a boyfriend.
Is that true?
It is now.
Hey, how about a refill, huh?
- Thanks.
- Thanks, mom.
Chase, you wanna help me in the
kitchen with the hot chocolate?
- Yes!
- Come on.
So... I got you
a little something.
- Oh, I didn't know we were...
- No, it's okay.
I took a swing.
Just open it.
Wow, my first business card.
When did you?
Sarah designed them.
I may have made a few
sneaky phone calls
when you weren't looking.
- Do you like them?
- I love it.
It's funny because Sarah
helped me with yours too.
Now home can be with you
wherever you are.
It's perfect.
Thank you.
- She's really good.
- She is.
- She kept the swing.
- And the red door.
- Wow.
- Christmas lights.
Yeah, well, you know, it has
to be able to be up year round.