Blizzard

Okay, ready?

Whee!

That was so great.

- Yeah, let's go again. - Okay.

It's a tie.

- Ready? - Yeah.

Come on, Bobby, let's go again.

We'll call you when we get there.

Don't you worry about a thing. We'll get the lease to the realtor.

- Take care. - Okay. You, too.

- We'll be in touch. - Yeah.

See you.

Yeah, see you.

I guess you're ready. In you get.

Buckle up.

Bye.

- Okay, call us when you get there. - Yeah, we will.

Safe trip.

Come on, Jess. Let's go home, sweetie.

Jess?

Jessie?

Honey, Derek Tynan's here to see you.

Do you want to go sledding with him?

It's a beautiful day out, and you love sledding.

With Bobby.

Sweetie, I know you're sad, but you can't stay in here forever.

Leave me alone.

- Not today, Derek. - Oh, okay.

Try again later, okay?

Good.

Oh, the tree looks wonderful.

Good.

- Oh, thank you. - You're welcome.

- So, has Jess had any dinner at all? - No.

She just needs time.

It's been almost a week.

Bob, she's heartbroken, and she's ten.

It took you three years to get over Greg Sewell moving away...

and you were 27.

Well, it's not going to be a very merry Christmas around here.

What?

- I have an idea. - What?

Well, I think she's herding kangaroos in the Australian outback...

No, that was last month.

She's hot-air ballooning over the geti right now.

No, please, anybody but...

- Aunt Millie. - Aunt Millie.

Beautiful Bethy. How's my only niece?

I'm fine, Aunt Millie. I'm so glad you came.

Hello, Aunt Millie.

- Bill. - Bob.

- Okay, Bill Bob. - Just plain Bob.

Oh, be a dear, Plain Bob, there's a little more in the car.

Come on in.

Lordy Lord, Christmas is a time for faith and family...

and presents and turkey.

- Is it Christmas here yet? - No, it's tomorrow.

Then I made it with just a breath to spare.

Jessie, there's someone very special here to see you.

Bobby?

No, honey, it's Aunt Millie, all the way from Africa.

Oh, hi, Aunt Millie.

Aren't you going to give your old auntie a hug?

Oh, my, this can't be my Jessie...

so beautiful and so sad.

Come, you tell your Aunt Millie all about the hurt in your heart.

- Mind making some lunch, Bethy? - Sure. No problem.

There, there.

And do you know something? I know exactly how you feel.

- No, you don't. - Oh, but I do.

You feel like you're all alone in the world...

and there's this huge hole in your heart.

And no matter how hard you try, it just won't go away.

- Is it like that? - Uh-huh.

Oh, suffering sainthood, we can't have you feeling this way at Christmas.

Oh, what to do?

There's always... No, that won't do.

Or we could go... No, that's too far.

There must be something.

Yes, I have it.

- What? - The story.

What story?

Oh, only the story of one of the greatest friendships ever...

that has the power to heal your broken heart.

Oh, but you probably don't want to hear a story.

Yes, yes, please, Aunt Millie, tell me the story.

Okay.

But first, you have to answer a simple question.

What?

Do you believe in Santa Claus?

You know, some people don't believe in Santa, or magic...

or much of anything these days.

So, you know...

it'll be perfectly pointless telling them the most magical story ever.

I think I believe.

Excellent. Now you sit back and make yourself as comfortable as you can.

Oh, this is wonderful.

Throw me a pillow.

Thank you.

Now, many, many years ago, there was this little girl called Katie Andrews...

she was about your age.

I just turned ten.

Jumping jimminy, so was Katie.

She was a wonderfully sensitive and spirited little girl...

but her life was less than ideal.

And with good reason.

You see, she lived in the shadow of her two obnoxious brothers, Jack and Joe...

and she felt awfully alone.

- Here we go, now. - Give it back!

Hold on, I'm coming, I'm coming.

Fun's over, boys.

Now then, winter was Katie's favorite time of the year...

because she loved one thing...

more than anything else in the whole wide world...

skating.

You are wearing the wrong kind of skates.

Katie.

It's time for dinner, honey.

Oh, he's very good.

I wish I could skate like that.

Hello.

Oh, my goodness, you're Otto Brewer.

Yes, I know. You are this girl's mother?

I'm Sarah Andrews.

Katie, you didn't tell me Otto Brewer was skating here.

He won the gold medal in the Olympics.

Oh, that was a longtime ago.

- What is your name? - Katie Andrews, sir.

I have watched you, Katie.

Do you want to learn proper skating?

Then I will teach you.

Because I cannot abide what you are doing.

Oh, that's very generous of you, Mr. Brewer, but...

But what?

Speak up, but what?

We couldn't afford to...

Did I ask for payment?

No, I did not.

What I'm asking is permission to teach her proper skating.

Then good.

I only require two things...

one, you will do what I'm asking, yes?

And you will get her proper skates.

Papa!

Come on, Papa.

He would stay out here all night if he could.

Oh, I have one of those, too.

This is Alexandra, my troublesome daughter.

She thinks I'm too old to be on the ice.

This is Katie Andrews and her mother.

- How do you do? - How do you do?

- Katie is going to be my student. - Student?

Yes, student!

You wanted to go, now we go.

See you tomorrow, Katie.

Proper skates.

Proper skates.

You should have seen her out there today.

You know, her birthday's coming, we could get her figure skates.

Sarah, we're barely getting by now.

Ted, if it was the boys, we'd find a way.

Look, sit down a minute.

I didn't want to mention this, but...

I did hear a rumor there may be more layoffs soon.

Really?

But it is just a rumor.

- Come on, Katie, make a wish. - Yeah, a wish.

Make a wish, honey.

Happy birthday, sweetheart.

- How come she gets such a big present? - Yeah, how come?

Because it's her birthday.

It's not fair.

Pipe down, boys, let your sister open her gift.

Yellow skates?

They're used, but at least they're not hockey skates.

Now you'll be a champion figure skater for sure.

- Happy Birthday, sweetheart. - Happy Birthday.

They're banana skates!

Look at me, I'm racing on my new banana skates!

Ooh, I'm Katie skating.

Boys, stop it now.

Yellow skates.

Yellow skates?

Yellow would be, like, totally ick.

Maybe to you, but to Katie...

they were the most beautiful skates she had ever seen.

Inside edge.

Who has ever heard of yellow skates?

Ugly.

Now, as it happens, Otto was not the only one...

having a big problem with the way things looked.

One winter night, far away at the North Pole...

Santa's village was in a tizzy...

over the news of a very unusual arrival.

Step aside.

Make a path, that's what I would suggest.

That's it. That's right. Be out of my way.

Are you sitting or working, huh?

Don't read them, just sort them.

Thank you.