Following Yonder Star

The homemade Christmas cookies are ready!

Hey, save some for Santa, you guys.

You know, we picked out this star

on our very first wedding anniversary.

How could I forget? It was the Christmas Market.

And do you remember what I told you about it?

That it was the shining light

that would always guide us home if we ever got lost.

Because finding your way home

doesn't always mean you know where you're going.

You just have to trust and follow the light.

Well, I think that light is leading me towards

some of these cookies.

How are they?

- Great. - Yeah?

Ah, this is the best Christmas ever.

Announcer: Hope you're enjoying our Guiding Grace marathon.

Up next, Gabriella becomes the chief

of a volunteer fire department.

(Christmas music playing over P.A.)

* The holiday's here, with all the good cheer *

* Come join us... *

Hey, just so you know, we have a strict

you break it you buy policy on everything in the store.

Oh, okay. Yeah, I'll be sure to be careful.

Gabriella. Wow.

My mom is a huge Guiding Grace fan.

She is going to freak out. Wait, wait.

Is this really happening? This isn't a dream.

Well, I certainly hope not because, if so,

then I've definitely overslept

and I am very late for several appointments.

That's that classic Gabriella banter.

Oh, thanks. My name's actually Abby.

You can call me Abby.

You know, I was just watching you make

your famous Christmas cookies over there and now you're here!

Aah!

So, do you make them every year now

since the show's been canceled or...?

Oh, uh, you know what?

I'm gonna let you in on a little secret.

So, I've actually never baked Christmas cookies before.

Those are from the grocery store.

You've never baked Christmas cookies?

No.

That's a good one.

Oh, you had me going. That's great.

I bet you're the perfect mom offscreen, too.

Um... Hey, listen,

I'm happy to sign an autograph for your mom before I go.

- Really? - Yeah.

Thanks.

Actually, since you're here, I do need some advice.

My girlfriend and I got into this huge fight,

and now she's not talking to me... for some reason.

So, um, you know, what would Gabriella say?

Uh, again, not Gabriella, and I was really just reciting lines

that other people wrote for me.

Come on, you worked on that show for years.

You must have some advice.

Hmm, you know, let me call my writers.

Oh, would you?

Um, listen, can I just--

can you engrave this for me?

Oh, yeah, of course.

Uh, what's the message?

Um, "Always follow the light. Love, A."

- You mean "G". - I mean "A".

Oh.

- (phone ringing) - Excuse me.

- Is that one of your writers? - (phone ringing)

Hey, Julian.

- Abby, hey. - It's been way too long.

Brandon's graduation, I think?

Yeah. I can't believe our fictional son is in college.

Oh, they grow up so fast.

- I know. - Julian: How you been, Ab?

I'm good. I'm good.

I'm really excited to see you at your aunt's on Christmas Eve.

You're never going to guess what I got you.

You mean for our yearly Christmas ornament exchange?

You're going to love this one, I promise.

Julian: I bet I will.

Um, hey, just a-- just a heads up about...

Christmas Eve this year.

I've been meaning to tell you.

Oh, right, no, I know.

You didn't like the vegan version of the cookies

I brought last year.

So, I've already decided I'm gonna bring vegan

and regular because whether your brother admits it or not,

he's lactose intolerant.

I'm getting married, Abby.

What?

Julian: We've been together for just about a year now and...

...well, actually, we're, um-- we're expecting a baby.

Oh.

Julian: I'm sorry. I should have told you sooner.

Yeah. Um...

Thank you.

I gotta be honest, Julian, I'm surprised.

I mean, you said you never wanted kids.

Yeah, I... I didn't think I wanted them either,

but, um,

yeah, I don't know,

something in me just kind of changed.

Right.

Um, that's a plot twist I didn't see coming.

But listen, you are still

more than welcome to come to my aunt's Christmas party.

Everyone loves having you there,

and well, I'm sure Veronica wouldn't mind if you came.

Yeah. No. I--I-- I just, um... Thank you.

I just don't think that would really be right.

But why not?

I always thought that, you know, it was rather evolved of us

that you'd still come for Christmas,

even after the divorce.

Yeah. I mean, yeah. You know, I love your family

and the friends we share, like, I always will,

but I, um...

I just think it would be a mistake

to keep this tradition going.

That's too bad, but I-- I do understand.

I'll send your Christmas ornament in the mail, then.

No, that's okay. I think that's a mistake, too.

Anyways, I gotta go. Merry Christmas. All right, bye.

So, what'd your writer say?

- That wasn't my writer. - Oh, who was it?

Listen, I'm actually not gonna need this anymore.

Oh. Well, store policy says that once an engraving order

is in the computer, it can't be canceled.

But it hasn't even been engraved yet.

Can't you just delete it from your computer?

Well, computer says...

...negative.

Please don't make me buy this.

You know what this reminds me of?

That time that your son brought home that chimp. Remember?

And you wanted to return it, but you couldn't

because the circus was already out of town?

Right. Yeah, just like that.

Listen, I'm not-- I'm not Gabriella, I'm Abby.

I'm a customer

who's just looking for some help at Christmastime, please.

You get it, right?

- Okay. - Yeah, of course, I get it.

Hey, everyone, Gabriella thinks she can just bend the rules

and nobody gets hurt.

I'm sorry. Who's getting hurt?

You haven't even done anything to the ornament yet.

People make mistakes.

I thought Gabriella fixed mistakes.

I didn't think she made them.

What?

Okay, you know what?

Let me be really clear with you.

I'm not Gabriella.

Gabriella is a character I played on TV.

I'm Abigail Fontaine - a real human being who tries her best,

but sometimes makes mistakes, like picking out ornaments

that me and my ex-husband no longer have use for.

Well, it's store policy, so you can hang it on your tree.

I don't have a tree.

I don't make freshly baked cookies.

I'm not a wife or a mother.

The only correct thing that's come out of your mouth

is that I would need writers to give relationship advice

because I haven't been on a date in years!

Now, please, cancel my order!

Oops.

Oh.

Woman: Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas.

Where have you been? I've been trying to reach you.

What are you doing here?

Just get in the house. I'll explain inside.

- Come on, go, go, go. - What? Why?

Can I get you something to drink?

No, you don't have time for a drink.

Listen, your little incident at the store, okay?

The video went viral.

"America's perfect mom

"losing her cool over a Christmas ornament."

What? What do you mean?

I mean, they recorded you.

Everyone's a paparazzi nowadays. You've got to be careful.

Your image has taken a serious hit.

I stood up for myself against a total jerk,

and now my whole image is on the line?

Guiding Grace ended two years ago.

When do I get to get off this pedestal and start being me?

Come on, you were Gabriella for 14 seasons.

The public's not letting go of you that easy.

But don't worry, okay?

Once you film, the Powder Point Inn Mysteries,

the public's gonna love this new side of Abby Fontaine.

Okay, listen, I'm super flattered the producers cast me,

I really am,