Christmas with the Singhs

- Didn't think the ER could ever feel so festive.

- Well, just because we're in the ER on Christmas

doesn't mean it can't be festive, right?

Oh, and I have a gift for you.

For me?

Here you go.

I heard you like ice skating,

so let's hope that knee heals up soon

so we can get you back on the ice in no time.

Thank you so much, Asha.

- Do you wanna put it on the tree?

Yeah? - Yeah.

Okay.

All right.

Oh, I'm getting a call, so I'll see you soon, okay?

Put it on the tree. Merry Christmas.

- Merry Christmas. - Hello.

- Merry Christmas, Asha. - Merry Christmas. Asha.

Merry Christmas mom.

Merry Christmas, dad.

Oh, dad, I heard that congratulations are in order

for winning the Ashford decorating contest again this year?

Well, I think at this point,

they should spare everyone the effort,

and just to declare me the winner from the start.

- That's like winning a gold medal

without running the race.

What's the fun in that?

Well, I am really sad

I won't be home this year to witness the epic display.

- Oh, Maglu. It's just not going to be the same without you.

You've never missed a single Christmas.

- Yeah. But we understand work is important.

- Yeah, well, seven years of successfully

dodging the Christmas shift.

I guess my luck finally ran out.

- Well, don't work too hard. It's Christmas.

- She works in a hospital, Nirmila.

She can't just slack off because it's Christmas.

- You know what I mean, Samuel.

- Yeah. Well, speaking of work, I do need to get back to it.

So please say hi to everybody

and have an extra helping of Biryani

for me at Ravi's Christmas party tonight, okay?

We will. Bye-Bye.

Bye-Bye. Asha.

Love you, Maglu. Love you.

Love you.

Mr. Johnson.

- Caught the ball.

He's bringing it up to court.

He's going for the layup.

- Wow, I have never seen so much excitement in an ER before.

Everyone feeling better all of a sudden?

Are you ready to come with me now?

Tyler.

Hey, Tyler. Can I grab a quote for the Outlook?

- It's okay. He's one of the good ones.

What do you need, Jake?

That last shot was insane.

You gotta tell me, what was going through your mind?

- I was thinking about our fans spending Christmas,

watching the game with their loved ones,

and how I can't let them down.

So I asked Santa for a Christmas miracle,

and the big man came through.

Merry Christmas, Chicago.

Alright man. You're a legend.

And Merry Christmas. Okay?

Hey Dad. Merry Christmas.

What a game.

- Oh, you watched it? - Of course.

It's the only way I get to spend Christmas with my son.

- Yeah. Sorry I couldn't make it home this year.

- Oh, you're not missing much. - How are you celebrating?

- I got my kung pao chicken, my favorite lager,

and a win for your Titans.

It makes for a pretty merry Christmas.

Mom's on the other line.

Go ahead. Take her call.

Merry Christmas, son.

Merry Christmas, dad.

Merry Christmas, mom.

Merry Christmas, Jakey.

I'm just finishing up here with the meal service.

How's your day going?

- Well, Titans won, I snagged an exclusive quote

for the Outlook,

and despite not being home for Christmas,

it's been a pretty good day.

- Oh, that's wonderful. - How's the

gingerbread house competition?

- Oh, please. They should just name the trophy after me.

Nice work. Oh, hold on a sec.

Hey. Hey, let me help you with that.

I got it.

Whoa, these are heavy.

How did you carry these?

Jakey. Are you okay?

Hello.

Okay. Jake?

Here.

- Jake O'Brien? - Wait, Asha Singh?

- Yeah. - Wow. I mean, hi.

Hi.

You should follow me.

- Okay. - Okay. All right.

Yeah. Okay.

The old man versus ice showdown.

- Mm-hmm. - Spoiler alert,

the ice always wins.

- Well, the ice remains undefeated.

I still can't believe it.

All the ERs in all the towns

in all the world, Jake O'Brien walks into mine.

- I still can't believe you remember me.

Are you kidding me?

You're like impossible to forget.

- I am? - Huh?

- Huh? - No-

- I'm not- - I didn't,

I just meant you were all things Ashford High.

Captain of the baseball team,

but you're not really living up

to your most athletic title right now.

Ouch. That hurt both places.

Tough, tough critic. Okay.

Well, for what it's worth, I do actually remember you.

- You do. - I do.

You're the only chemistry tutor

who could have gotten me through senior year.

If I remember correctly,

you were always more into Thoreau than covalent bonds.

- Wow. Yes, that's exactly right.

Huh. Well, thank you.

In case I didn't thank you then. Thank you now.

You're welcome.

So what have you been up to for the last 18 years?

Gosh, has it been that long?

I got a baseball scholarship to Northwestern.

I double majored in journalism and and literature.

- That's amazing. - Yeah.

- So I take it you're working out here now?

- Yes. I'm a sports writer for the Chicago Outlook.

- Ah, you got both your great loves in one.

Yeah. Yeah, I guess I did.

So, what about you?

What are you up to these days?

I'm a nurse practitioner.

Oh, yes, of course. Wow.

You know, maybe we should check to see if I hit my head

too, because I just...

I'll add that to your chart.

- Great. - Okay. Let's see.

We're gonna have to amputate this.

- What? Oh gosh. - It's not that bad.

Look, your mobility is great.

I'm guessing it's just a sprain.

But we can order an X-ray just to be sure.

Thank you.

Oh...

- Well, it was so great to see you again.

- Yes. - And the doctor

will be in shortly.

- Great. Can't wait. - Okay.

- Oh, wait. - Yeah?

- Do you wanna get a drink with me?

We can catch up properly.

There's a bar across- - I'm off at 8:00.

Okay.

Tell me, what is it about nursing

that made you want to make a career out of it?

- I get to actually connect with the patients, you know,

on a deeper level, being there for them emotionally,

physically, whatever it takes

to make their day a little brighter.

It's really nice.

- Not everyone gets to say they can make a difference

in the world doing what they love.

- Well, thank you. But nursing wasn't always the plan.

- Oh, yeah? - Yeah.

I was on the pre-med track, but then I realized

and chasing my dad's dream, not my dream, you know?

- But he must have come around eventually, right?

Oh, no. Not at first.

He still made me take the MCATs

and apply to med school anyway.

- Well, then how did you become a nurse practitioner?

- The official story is that my MCAT scores weren't

good enough to get into med school.

- Oh, no way. Nope, I don't believe that for a second.

Not the Asha Singh I remember.

- The truth is I aced the MCATs, obviously.

- Yeah. - But I told my dad

I bombed it.

- What? Asha, why wouldn't you just tell him the truth?

- It was the only way to get him to accept my choice.

My parents sacrificed so much coming to this country

to give my brother and I better life, but I don't know.

With that came this need to protect us