Snow Falling on Pumpkins (2025)

[bunniefuu]

The 1940s were unforgiving, especially

for two men daring to love each other openly.

They lived in a modest shack on the outskirts of town

where the knights were filled with the soft hum of crickets

and the distant whistle of the midnight train.

Their days were long and grueling,

but they found joy in the simple moments, sharing a meal

of beans and cornbread, tending

to their small vegetable garden

and reading to each other by the dim light of an oil lamp.

Hi, James.

Hi, Michael.

I, um, I thought maybe my message was desperate.

Oh, no, no, no.

I was dealing with some problems at work,

and I, I haven't had a free minute.

I'm, I'm so sorry for not calling you back sooner.

Um, no, that's, that's okay.

Um, we can talk about it, uh, more

or dinner, uh,

if you still want to get together this weekend. Uh,

Well, yeah, definitely.

I still want to get together this weekend.

Yeah. You know, it, it, it's so funny

that I met you at the bookstore

and you were supposed to be off that day.

Well, I guess we were supposed to meet. Mm.

Uh, how did that gaming book help you?

Oh, yeah, it helped us a lot.

You know, um, I,

I'm really looking forward to seeing you again.

You know, at the bookstore.

I, I wasn't even sure if you were actually into guise.

I, I, I'm terrible every the signals,

but when you told me you wrote g*y Novellas, I was so happy.

Oh, uh, I, I, I, I got a call. I'm so sorry. I gotta go.

Um, uh, I will see you on Saturday.

Sounds great. I'll see you then. Definitely. Definitely.

Okay, bye. Bye.

Hey, cousin, what's going on?

Another g*y romance story.

I'm read your books anyway. You coming over this weekend?

Tell me with the drywall.

I've been putting it off waiting for you.

They're hiring where I work if you're interested.

I already have a job. Yeah.

At the Cozy Nook book bookstore.

Did you come by to lecture me about my job

or about helping you with the drywall?

No, let's do it next weekend.

I've got company coming over this weekend.

Ooh. Got yourself a fancy mandate. Eight.

You okay. You look

like that deer caught my headlights right before I hit 'em.

Totally messed up the hood of my truck.

What, What's wrong with you?

Um, I, um,

I guess I'm just not getting enough sleep.

Can you go away, please? I've gotta get ready for work.

Okay. Lemme know

about doing the drywall.

People still buy books.

We know you don't.

Okay. Oh, hi neighbor. Oh, sorry, Mike.

I didn't mean to scare you.

I, I saw you pulling stuff in from the car.

I thought I'd give you a hand. Uh, I wanna stop by

and tell you about the Munson Place.

Thanks. Um, Munson Place.

Yeah. The, the Munsons, they lived there for a long time.

Well, until Mrs. Munson was taken away.

You must know about that.

Uh, no. I, I can't say that I have. Oh,

Okay. Well, the, the Munsons

were together for like 30 years

until one day, I guess she just kinda lost it,

and she whacked him with an axe.

You can see what it did to the neighborhood.

Mm-hmm. Well,

it totally destroyed all the home value here.

So, not that I'm complaining,

but that's how I got into my dandy of a house.

Anyway, it's up for sale now.

And I saw a couple coming out of there the other day

with a realtor, but they looked like they were kind

of dark skinned, like maybe Indian,

not the kind. Oh, Dave,

That's r*cist.

All I'm saying is not the American type of Indian.

You gotta be careful these days. Mike, Dave,

You really can't just, I'm sorry.

I'm, I've got a lot going on right now,

but thanks so much for your help.

Yeah. So happy to help. Um, this is a great looking cake.

You, you having a party or something? Yeah,

Yeah. Something.

Thank you so much.

Oh, okay. Uh, always good to see you, Mike.

Hello, Michael.

Hey, mom. What you making?

Uh, just some tacos for dinner tomorrow night.

Did you put cilantro in?

No, I don't like cilantro. Really?

I've always liked it. You used to like it, I'm sure. Nope.

Never did. What's with,

with the, what's with all the food

Here? I stopped at

the food bank.

Oh. Are you helping somebody out?

I'm helping you out. No, he want, mom.

Well, I got to thinking about how hard it must be

for you lately, struggling with your

job at the little bookstore

and trying to make a go of the writing thing.

How's everything going with you lately?

I walked in there last week on my way

to get an anniversary gift for Sister Hansen,

and there was this little old man behind the counter.

He couldn't even really see the cash register keys.

His little sausage fingers were trying

to type them out one at a time.

And well, finally, it was taking so long

that the man buying the book just up

and threw the money on the counter

and then flounced out of the store

to set old man know he needs to be retired,

or that owner is not gonna have a bookstore for much longer.

My father would never have put up with that.

He knew how to run a company.

Grandpa ran a corporate bank Mom, not a little bookstore.

They certainly look better than your last batch.

Something's missing. You didn't put nuts

in the recipe.

Calls for walnuts. It makes all the difference.

I'm allergic to walnuts, mom, remember?

Oh, that's right. You have so many physical issues.

I just can't keep them all. Straight nuts.

Would've made your brownies better.

And yes, you really should tell somebody about that old man

and the trouble he's having.

He should have retired long ago.

That little old man happens to be the owner.

Well, then he should know how to run a bookstore.

He is run that bookstore for over 43 years.

His, a year ago, his wife of 46 years passed on.

All he has is that little bookstore in a lonely old house

that used to be happy.

We try to lift his spirits up to make him feel happy.

So I suggest you stop judging the poor guy on something

you know nothing about.

I never understand why I upset you so much.

You're frustrated all the time.

You practically formed a witch hunt to get rid

of the new neighbors last year.

You don't like the minister's sermons.

And even the Mexicans, as you put it,

aren't even good enough for the House of God.

Do you hear the words that are coming out of your mouth?

What kind of Christian are you?

You should turn off the tv. Go volunteer, read some books.

We got lots of great cookbooks. Take up cooking.

I can't even tell you what's going on in the world.

You don't want to hear it. Well, it's a mess.

And yes, I'm still pd about the neighbors.

Every generation says the same thing.

The world is getting bad,

but the world has a way of figuring things out,

and it needs happier people helping one another.

Mom, I am trying

to build a happier life.

I suppose I do get worked up about things.

Your father always said I could find a storm

cloud in a blue sky.

It wasn't wrong.

These really are better without the nuts.

I, Okay, I'll be going

Maybe, maybe I could stop by the bookstore sometime.

That that would be nice.

You know, we've got lots of

cookbooks from all over the world.

Okay. Goodbye sweetie.

Thanks for the help, mom. Oh, I love you.

I love you too.

Sometimes I play pinball down at the Burger Hut.

That's the closest I got to video gaming.

Why? I like being a game designer. It's fun.

I spend most of my time just trying to see if it'll work.

Mostly long hours.

Get home to face a freezer full of microwave dinners. Oh,

Owen, do you have food in my teeth?

Crap. I do, don't I?

No, no. No food.

Near teeth. You look great.

So, um,

how'd you get interested in writing?

I, Well, I'd been reading books

for years, so I thought I'd try writing some myself.

I got into old fashioned g*y romance.

It came naturally to me.

Mom didn't get it. She thinks I should get a real job.

Oh God. When I told my dad I wanted to be a gamer,

he walked over the car keys, took them off the hook

and said, you can get these back when you

get serious about your career.

It wasn't about the car.

It was that he didn't even know who I was.

What about your dad?

Um, he died a few years ago.

I'm sorry. He really appreciated my writing.

Just wanted me to be happy.

You're a great writer.

I bought your book and read it right after we met.

Are you sure you didn't accidentally put it in your cart?

No, it's very good.

You had me at paragraph two.

I'm starting your second book next week.

I really appreciate you saying that

Your stories are set in the forties.

I mean, it's such a romantic time.

Mm. I think I must have lived in the forties.

I have a strong sense of connection to it.

It's funny, I've had this

recurring dream on

and off for years about a man I meet in

a small town diner.

And it's the forties, it's winter,

and in the dream,

we don't talk much.

We just sit together,

understand each other without words.

Like we've known each other forever.

Maybe. Maybe we're meeting again.

If it's us,

Maybe.

Um, I'm, uh, I'm not very good at,

uh, speaking up for myself.

I know that, that this is our first date.

Maybe, maybe we could have more dates.

Uh, I'm just a poor book nerd.

I mean, you can think about it and

Yes,

I don't care how much money you make,

life isn't about status.

I think dating it would be great

Just like that.

After one date,

One date, 20 dates.

What's it matter when you feel like you've known someone

Forever?

Hey, Mike. How you doing? What you planting?

You okay, buddy?

Michael, you don't look so good.

You got any water today? Anything to eat?

I brought you some leftover stew from last night

trying to get ahold

of you the last couple weeks about going fishing,

but I haven't heard anything back.

You need some help getting inside?

I know how to get inside. Well, sure, sure.

Of course you do. Maybe I can just sit with you for a while.

That be okay?

Stu Stu, can you help me sit down?

Of course. Of course, buddy. I got you. You're good.

Doing good.

So anyway, I brought you some stew from last night.

It's just a carrots, potatoes,

a little venison I had in the freezer.

Call it stew in a pot. 'cause you know I'm stew.

I promise it's a lot better than my jokes.

I, uh, I went fishing a couple weeks back.

Caught some real nice pike. Thought about you.

I was out there. Remember that trip we took in June?

That knife slipped outta my hand, right into my shoe.

And then that night, all those noises outside of our tent,

it was so dark.

Yeah, That was, that was a fun trip.

There you are. Welcome back, pal. Had me worried.

Thank you. Thank you Stu, for sitting with me.

I don't know what happened.

He'd, you know, if this is happening more

and more, you need to see a doctor.

You have to take this seriously. I'll give my doctor a call.

See if I can set something up. Will that be okay?

Yeah. Yeah. Okay.

That was, that was such a fun fishing trip.

And you, you got so panicked

when you stabbed your

Foot. I don't know that

I was panicking. Okay.

Well, maybe a little

All the blood.

Okay. Okay. That's, that's just our little joke. Yeah.

Hello, Michael. Thank you for your patience.

I know it's a difficult waiting.

I got your report back and I've reviewed it very carefully.

And, um, I have the

difficult news to tell you that the results indicate

that you have a condition called early onset Alzheimer's.

I, I don't understand.

I can't, I can't have Alzheimer's. I'm, I'm not old.

It's uncommon. But it does happen to people under 65

and sometimes under 50.

And unfortunately, Michael,

you have all of the signs of it.

Now, I'm not gonna lie to you. This is gonna be a challenge,

and I'm sorry, but it will progress over time.

You may experience memory loss, confusion, uh,

difficulty remembering words, difficulty talking

or coming up with those words, mood swings, uh, trouble

with walking and eventually

severe memory loss.

I am going to, uh, have someone call you

and set up a session with a counselor.

Hmm. I don't need a counselor.

I, Michael, I know

that this is overwhelming,

but it's important to have support.

Now, a counselor can help you with what to expect.

Make a plan. Just have someone to talk to.

You don't have to do this alone.

Am I?

Am I going to die,

Michael? The

average life expectancy is six years.

But I mean, there are cases where people live 15, 20 years.

It's just, uh, it's not very common. I'm sorry.

Uh, we're gonna, uh, start you up with a group of medication

to help with, uh,

to help with your mental function

and slow the progress of the disease.

Michael, I'm sorry. This is, this is overwhelming.

These will be oral medications.

They'll help maintain cognitive function

and reduced behavioral symptoms.

And we'll get you started on an intravenous infusion

that has real promise of slowing the progression.

I wish you were here. I'm supposed to come.

I wanna stay. I want to stay with James.

We are gonna have a happy life together.

Supposed to go.

What do I do?

Look, I know this is a lot to process,

but I'm here to help you one step at a time.

I'm just trying to make sense of everything.

It, it all feels so unreal.

You're not alone, Michael.

There's a gradual progression of this.

But there are things that we can do to help slow it down

and, um, help maintain a good quality of life.

I just don't want to be a burden on my, my mom and James.

You're not a burden Michael.

And with proper care

and maintenance, you can still be an

active part of their lives.

Have you told them about this, Michael?

I haven't told them.

Communication is key. It will help ease your worries.

It'll help ease their worries.

It'll help them best understand how to help you.

Routine is your friend.

Try creating a daily routine where you do things that will

help you with memory loss and less confusion.

Try creating a calendar of activities.

Do things like reading a book, puzzles.

Those things will keep your mind sharp,

but also do activities that make you happy.

It's just hard not to feel down.

But you have a team, Michael.

You have friends, you have family,

you have professionals like me

all working together to help you.

You're still you, Michael.

And that's what's most important.

Not too long ago, I was going through a really hard time.

Then I met somebody and they helped me

see a new outlook.

He was in Cherokee spiritual advisor.

And I know that's not in everybody's

wheelhouse or something they would do.

He saved me

by helping me find some inner peace.

Only if you're interested,

I'll write his number down for you.

You okay, sir?

Something wrong?

No, stop. I'm sorry.

I am sorry. I'm sorry.

You're so, you're so wonderful to me.

If you find yourself thinking that you might feel trapped,

I just want you to know that

it's okay If you wanna change your mind about us.

Michael, what are you talking about?

Father, I will never change my mind.

I'm not gonna leave you.

Do you want me to leave?

No. No. I don't ever want you to leave me.

I love you.

I love you. You're my everything.

Hey, if there's something weighing on your

mind, you can tell me.

I don't want you to ever think you can't talk to me. Okay?

I'm here for you always.

Michael, I want you

to close your eyes and take a deep breath.

Now, tell me what you're feeling now.

Don't think about it. Just speak.

I'm scared, angry, confused.

Why me? Why I, I had a life ahead of me.

And now it's all slipping away.

Open your eyes, Michael. You're asking

the big questions now, and that's where healing begins.

But first, we need to shift your perspective.

You see your diagnosis as an ending,

but what if it's a beginning,

But I'm dying?

My mind, it's, it's betraying me.

Feel that stone really fail. It.

That stone has existed for thousands of years.

It's been shaped by time, by the elements.

Just like you and me.

We're all part of something much bigger than ourselves.

But what's the point? Why am I here if I'm just going

to fade away?

The point is to recognize the miracle of your existence.

Every moment is a gift.

Your life isn't defined by its length, but by its depth.

But I'm so angry.

I don't wanna leave change or my work.

That anger, that fear, it's all valid,

but it's also an anger weighing you down.

Michael, there was a time when I was lost,

angry at the world, just like you are now.

My husband, Tom, was diagnosed

with an aggressive form of cancer.

We had our whole lives ahead of us.

Suddenly everything changed.

What happened? We fought hard.

For two years, we battled the disease together,

but in the end, I lost him.

And I lost myself. I was consumed with grief and anger.

I couldn't understand why this happened.

I turned to alcohol, pushed away my friends and family.

I was dying inside long before my body gave out.

What changed? One night

after drinking myself into a stupor,

I found myself on the edge of a cliff ready to jump.

But something, something stopped me.

Maybe it was the wind, my, my spirit guide,

my ancestors reaching out.

But in that moment, I realized I had a choice.

I could let the pain destroy me,

or I could use it to grow, to help others.

It wasn't easy. But I chose to live Michael, really live.

I sought out the wisdom of my elders, reconnected

with my medicine and the earth,

and slowly I found my way to healing.

True healing comes from restoring harmony with ourselves,

with the natural world.

Sometimes the deepest wounds can become our greatest source

of strength and wisdom.

If I can find meaning and purpose

after losing the love of my life, you can too.

Your path is different than mine,

but the choice is the same.

Will you let this diagnosis define you?

Or will you use it to live truly live?

Michael, nothing ends energy transforms.

But how do I find peace without losing myself?

By realizing that yourself is more

than your thoughts and your daily routines.

It's the love you've given, the lives you've touched,

the ripples you've created in the world.

Those things go on long after we're gone.

In my tradition, we believe that every soul comes

to this planet with a purpose,

a life contractor, if you will.

Sometimes that purpose isn't what we, what we planned,

what we expect or plan for.

And you think this disease

is a part of my purpose.

I think it's presenting you with a choice

to live more fully, to love more deeply, to let go of

what truly doesn't matter.

That's why I'm here, my friend.

We'll walk this path together.

I wanna be together with James. I really do love him.

He, um, he proposed to me a few nights ago,

I would be happy if it wasn't for the fact that I,

I didn't tell him the truth I could have,

but all I could say was yes.

Oh, Michael. Sometimes when

something like this happens, it can rob us

of our most basic sense of agency and personhood.

I know you're tired, you must

be exhausted.

But If you're looking for a sign,

if you need permission, let me be that sign.

Let me be the person to give you permission to go. Go forth.

Go ahead. Go for it, Michael.

Okay.

So How's, what doing?

Going for his arthritis shot.

So anyway, professor Stanley

and I were looking for this old case of Vintage Port,

and we come across this really old beat up crate hidden

right there under the stairs.

And it was dated 1834.

So we're gonna take it back to the college and open it up.

It might be worthwhile finding inside, or

It might be a scary old monster from 1834.

Oh boy, that sure would suck. Could you imagine?

It's got my arm.

I ripped my face off.

Sounds like you two have had a few. Hey.

Oh, hi. Henry's told me You're a very good writer.

I wouldn't say very good.

He's a very humble guy. How's the new book coming?

Um, still to figure out some of the characters. Oh,

What's the title? Keep a

lookout for it.

I haven't quite figured that out either.

Well, I'll just stop by the bookstore next week.

Pick up one of your books. Well,

if you'll pardon me, I gotta get ready.

So how's the, uh, the science fiction writing going?

I find every excuse there is to put it off. I know.

I should be trying to write every day.

I've just gotta stop the nonsense.

I feel like I've lost interest in everything.

That sounds like depression. Yeah.

Well, I wake up almost every night with an anxiety attack.

Please don't tell anyone.

But I actually went back

to work part-time stocking auto parts at King's Auto.

I'm supposed to be this somewhat successful writer,

and I can't even write one book a year.

And you can't put so much

pressure on yourself there, Henry.

It's gonna come naturally.

Write what you're most passionate about.

Yeah. Would you mind having coffee with me sometime?

I'd like to get your opinion on some ideas.

Sure, man. Of course. I'd be happy to.

I am happy, really happy for you

and James just talking with him earlier.

He seems like a wonderful guy.

Hey, we gotta get you married. Let's go. Let's go.

Oh.

We are gathered here today to celebrate the union

of Michael and James.

Today. They stand before you

to declare their love for one another.

This moment is a testament to their journey together, filled

with love, laughter, and shared dreams.

As they exchange their vows, let us all be reminded

of the beauty, of love and the hope it holds for the future.

Michael and James, please hold hands

and look each other in the eyes.

Those hands will build your future, support you in times

of need, and hold you in moments of joy.

May we have the rings, and please exchange your vows.

Michael, you're my best friend

and my greatest love.

I promise to stand by you to support your dreams

and to cherish every moment with you together.

I vow to love you with all my heart, to be your rock

in times of need.

James, You are my light

in my home with you,

I found a deep and pure love.

I promise to honor and respect you, to be patient

and kind, and to always

Communicate openly.

I love you more than words can express

James and Michael.

Having declared your love for each other in front

of your friends and family is my honor

and privilege to announce you married.

You may not kiss.

Thanks Aunt Joan. Looks great. The wedding was wonderful.

You guys kissed?

Yes, we did. Too bad you missed it.

I couldn't make it. I was on my way back from Bentonville

that's in Arkansas.

Had a job interview at Walmart headquarters.

Thanks for doing the cooking, mom.

Oh, it was nothing.

Anyway, I got to ride on a nice plane.

Did you have some of those little

peanut snacks on the plane?

No, but I did get to sit by a crying baby

and a drunk woman.

And I had one of those foreign flight attendants.

He must have been from one of them

Zimbabwe countries or something.

His ex accent was so bad, but it was a free ticket

and the drinks were free.

I had three of 'em.

But he was just such a do fus.

I, I don't understand why they can't hire English

speaking Americans.

Well, maybe he had a chance to earn a good income.

Maybe he had a chance, had a better life.

Maybe he was poor and had dreams of a better life.

Do you ever think about the things you say

about the way you treat people?

What are you talking about,

Joan? This is just

delicious. Thank you.

I don't get to chance to cook for a group,

so I thought this lunch would be fun.

I don't know what they put in food these days,

but it doesn't taste like it did years ago.

It is all the laboratory meat

ingredients going into the food.

Well, I had stomach problems for years,

and then I went organic and it cleared up in a few weeks.

You know, Michael's dad had that problem,

and Michael is just like his dad.

He was always having stomach problems.

I'm sorry, honey, I gotta get going.

Um, but I, I won't be too late when I get back.

We'll stay up and watch old movies.

Uh, great seeing everyone. I, I'm so sorry.

I can't believe it, but I gotta get going.

And we had a sudden game release come up tomorrow

and couldn't have been worse timing.

Thank you so much, Joan.

We'll see you later. Love you husband.

Love you too, husband.

We can't even stay for your wedding day.

We already talked about it earlier.

We see each other every day.

He just needs to be there

to make sure everything runs smooth.

Sounds like a bad start to your marriage to me.

You know, I think I'll make a quick peach cobbler.

Do you have any canned peaches, Michael?

Oh, yes. Uh, I'll get some from the garage.

Thank you.

That was just rude.

Your cousin is always trying to be your friend

and you can't even be nice to him for one day.

Doesn't Michael have a ghost?

He sure does. I stayed over one week when I hurt my leg.

The noises I heard in the middle

of the night were enough to send me home.

No more staying over here for me.

Aunt Joan was telling us about your ghost.

Oh, it's harmless. Just

Likes to cause a little mischief sometimes.

I don't think you should have that carefree attitude.

Michael Satan presents himself in many ways.

It's not Satan Mom. Satan is just a myth.

Like the old man in the sky judging us.

He most certainly is real.

If the sins of man were forgiven by Jesus being k*lled,

what happened to the sins of man before Jesus was k*lled?

Do we go to hell? Would a loving God send us from a perfect

paradise just to test us on earth and punish us if we fail?

It's a grand lie. It's not real.

We are all entitled to our opinions.

Aunt Joan, do you really believe

that your brother was punished by a religious God

and sent to Hell just by being depressed

and taking his own life?

He was only 14

When I was little.

My Pentecostal dad told me that my dog wouldn't go to heaven

because heaven is just for humans.

Do you have any idea what that does to a child's mind?

I cried for a month. Well, fk that.

I wasn't gonna have a thing to do

with religion from that moment on.

I'm, I'm sorry, ancho. I didn't mean to upset you.

It's just Well, your brother was struggling

and he deserves compassion, not condemnation.

Oh, good luck with dear marriage.

A large age gap like that.

It's not really good for a couple.

Oh, that's ridiculous.

His father and I were 16 years apart

and we were in love our entire marriage.

I'm gonna get some sugar from the garage.

Okay.

I'm just saying two men living in a

non-traditional relationship.

Non-traditional. My foot,

the only reason they call it non-traditional is

because those people have the upper hand in society.

They decide the rules for everyone.

g*y men and women have been treated less than human,

and they've been here since day one.

How long can it last? Hope this little story books are

gonna make him famous

and thinking he can be in a relationship

with some big city guy with a successful career.

Shut up. Wyatt. Don't you ever say that to him.

He's my child. And I want him

to have every chance at happiness that his father and I did.

I wish your uncle were here to handle you.

Is there any pie?

Steve Winters here with your KF and weather update.

Where'd we week three of

what I'm officially calling the great atmospheric standup,

but looking at sustained rains

and gusts up to 40 miles per hour

through the next fortnight.

The temperature remains stubbornly locked in the low forties

green when I'm calling meteorological moratory.

Too warm for snow angels two. Cold for actual angels.

For more on the latest weather, join us at 11.

I'm KFNN News Channel.

Let that line of God's love shine.

Do your darkest days with the Holy Spirit.

Guys, we can walk

every Sunday morning.

Shut up.

Hello.

Hi, husband. I'm on my way in about 20 minutes.

We'll stay up and have our wedding night.

It sounds wonderful, sweetheart.

Mike, what's wrong?

Are you crying? Oh, honey,

I messed up not being there with you tonight.

I I'm so sorry. I,

It's just the rain.

It gets depressing sometimes.

I also had a little bit too much to drink.

Okay. I I, you know, I'm leaving right now.

I i, i I don't want you to be upset, okay?

Just make some coffee and I'll be home soon. Okay?

Sorry. I know I'm not good enough for you.

I love you,

Michael.

Mike. Hello.

Michael. Michael.

Michael,

It is so good to see you.

You know, I gotta say, I'm so sorry

that I didn't make it after the wedding.

Mm. But I was really not feeling well. Well,

I completely understand.

I'm just glad you could be here. Are you feeling better?

Jesus loves me. Yes. It as a feel. Yes. Oh, yes.

Oh, hope it wasn't too long of a drive for you though. Oh.

Oh. I have something for you.

Oh, there you go. You

Didn't have to do this.

I, you know, I got home and I looked inside the pocket.

And there, your, the wedding gift was right there inside.

And I only wear this for special occasions,

Happily ever.

Laughter. It's cute.

Wishing you a lifetime of fun and love.

That's very sweet. Thank you.

Oh, uncle

Jim, I don't understand.

Is there future for you and James?

Uncle Jim? What would we do with this?

This is very generous.

I, I don't know if, if I can accept this,

Michael, you're my only nephew.

And where in the world am I gonna spend it?

This is just too much.

I saved it for years. There's nothing I need.

I'm not an adventurous guy. I don't travel.

I don't have any kids or husband.

All I do is stay at home and watch Jeopardy.

You know, I had great memories

of those times coming over and watching it.

And those TV dinners with aluminum.

Yeah. Aluminum foil. 45 minutes to heaven. Oh, yes.

And you get to the Apple pudding.

And by God, by that time,

you've already gone into the Wheel of Fortune.

Oh. I only have such happy memories of those times.

Certainly made up for those really ugly, awful ones

that I wanted to forget.

You know, I remember a young man

with tears rolling down his cheeks

over a neighborhood boy that knocked on your door.

Oh, yes. Jeff Fox never forgot that name.

Called me a h*m*.

All the kids at school laughing at me and picking on me.

But then I came over

and you just reminded me to not listen to them

to be true to who I was.

You reminded me of that.

This is really generous of you.

I just, I can't take it.

Michael, you're starting a new chapter

in your life with James.

And you're going to have a beautiful life together.

You know, I lived in a different past.

I was brought up with all that g*y prejudice of, oh,

there's those cats.

You know, like we were sinners changing

the fabric of America.

It was hard as a young g*y kid,

I did my chores on the farm.

I went to school, attended church.

But I'm so proud that you found your soulmate, James.

You know, I never had a husband or a boyfriend. What? Yeah.

I took care of our relatives.

I watched them date, get married, have kids.

And then I thought, oh, I'm gonna be the new Superman.

I'm gonna be normal. But

what happened was, I grew old.

I'm still alone, and I'm still

thinking he's watching.

And then it happened.

One summer day there,

he stood a sweet man in a cornfield.

And we had a great conversation. Talked about irrigation.

And I didn't know the irrigation was gonna get me

to the movies, a theater and the county fairs.

But it did. And then it

got to me, I thought

and knew that he wanted more.

And of course I got scared.

I sent him away.

Michael, I'm not a well man.

I have bladder cancer.

What I am. Okay.

I got enough to get by with Social security and savings.

It gave me two years, maybe less.

But I want you and James to get

that house that you've always talked about

and make a great down payment.

I'm so sorry. Don't be. God works in strange ways.

You never know why things happen,

but there's always a reason

I learned one thing.

Life is short and don't

take anything seriously.

Oh, there's something I have to tell you.

Hi, sunshine Farmers

Almanac says, it looks like we're gonna have a,

a few big storms between December and February.

I'm sorry, I'm missing your uncle.

Yeah. He was the only one I could ever

talk to when I was young.

He gave us a wedding gift.

Oh, it was sweet.

Was it, um, chocolates or flavored coffee by chance?

He wrote us a check to help my house.

Oh, wow. What a sweet guy.

Maybe one day we'll have enough saved.

He gave us

$18,000 for a down payment.

Oh my God. What? That's just wild. Really?

Mm-hmm. Okay. I have to call him.

Oh, hey. And guess what?

It looks like I'm gonna be working more for mom as soon

as I work out the details.

Isn't that great?

Are you okay, sweetheart?

What's wrong, Michael?

Well, did I do something? Did I forget something?

No,

No. You're great.

Do you know

how sometimes I don't always seem like myself.

I'm, I'm forgetting things right?

I, I get frustrated suddenly, or confused.

You take those allergy pills.

I know they give you brain fog sometimes.

I have something called early onset Alzheimer's.

What? It affects people under 65,

but most commonly between 40 and 50, it's very rare.

And, uh,

Well, There's no cure.

And I've known for the past three weeks

and I didn't know how to tell you.

I know. I know. This is a terrible way to start a marriage.

And I love you.

I love you with all of my heart.

And I won't blame you. I won't blame you.

If you want out.

I'm so sorry.

Open your eyes, Michael. Tonight we're going

to explore the elements.

Earth, air, fire, water.

They're all around us and within us.

What's on your mind, Michael?

I've been thinking about James.

I'm scared of leaving him,

but I'm scared of him seeing me deteriorate.

That fear comes from love. It's a powerful force.

Water teaches us to flow,

to adapt, create a ripple.

I'm still afraid of the changes

that I'm gonna be going through.

My relationship with

James will change.

I'm not gonna be the man he knew.

Change isn't always lost, Michael.

Even if you do change,

it could also be about transformation.

How do I make the most of the time I have left with him?

By being present, fully present quality over quantity.

Michael,

close your eyes.

Listen to the beat.

Let it become your heartbeat. James' heartbeat.

Now see James not as the man he is now,

but is the man he'll become strong, compassionate,

carrying your love with him everywhere he goes.

I can see him.

He's so beautiful.

That vision, that love. It transcends time.

Michael, that's the fire element.

Passion, transformation, the spark

of the divine in all of us. Yes.

I wanna, I wanna write to him, I want to,

I wanna write something that's gonna help him

through the difficult times to, to give him strength,

to remind him of our story.

An excellent idea. Words are powerful medicine.

And this represents earth,

grounding, stability.

The physical world we inhabit For now,

I'm still afraid of forgetting, of being forgotten.

Listen to me, Michael, you are more

than your thoughts and your memories.

You are more than this body and this mind.

You are a spark of the infinite.

Having a human experience,

your impact on this world, on James,

on those you love, that doesn't end.

It ripples outward touching lives you'll never even know.

Promise me something.

Promise me that every day you

and James will share a minute of pure joy together.

One moment where you're both fully alive, fully present.

Don't be afraid to say, I love you, g*n. Get you.

That's how we say it in Cherokee. g*n.

Get you g*n, get you g*n, get you.

Remember Michael, every moment is precious.

This journey you're on, it's not about ending,

but about transformation.

Well, what do you mean by transformation?

Nothing really ends. Michael. We never truly die, Michael.

We transition. Our earthly consciousness simply transitions

from one state of being to another.

You mean like an afterlife?

Yes, but it's not some distant, far off place.

It's a continuation of our journey here on earth.

What's it like? It's a place

of peace and renewal.

Imagine feeling like you're in your thirties again,

but without all the pain and sickness.

It's earth as we know it, but in its most perfect state

Of beauty And love.

But, but what about James?

What about the, the people we leave behind?

Your love for them doesn't end Michael.

In fact, many believe we can visit them, send them messages

of love and comfort, and one day you'll be reunited.

It sounds less like an ending.

'cause it isn't an ending, it's a new beginning.

Your task now is to live more deeply, to love more fully.

And you and James, you're on this

path together.

We're all just walking each other home, my friend.

You are most welcome.

Hey, hey. Ready for a walk?

You know what I was thinking? Mm.

Maybe we could start our Christmas decorating this weekend.

Yeah, yeah. I could use long Christmas.

Come on. Hey,

if um,

When the time comes and I'm not

here, I won't be dead.

I'll just be there.

In all its beauty, our permanent home, as you could call it,

well be together again.

You're just gonna have to tough it out here without me.

I know it seems like a long time,

but life goes by fast on this side.

Hey, hey.

What if we buy the old months, a house down the street?

What? It's got a great price

and we've got the down payment if you feel the same,

if you want to

Yes.

Yeah, yeah. Yes.

Yeah.

We're buying a house. Yeah, we're buying a a

Stew. Hi James.

Time for cookie and coffee.

It seems baking's. The only thing

that keeps me sane during the holidays

Come in.

You know, the first Christmas was the

hardest after Sarah died.

I would just sit sad,

angry, confused.

How's Mike?

Good days and bad days.

Today was, he

couldn't remember what we put the Christmas boxes.

It's progressing so fast.

And you, how are you holding up?

I look at him and I can

already feel I'm struggling.

I just didn't think it would so bad so fast.

And I'm terrified still.

I'm so scared.

You know, Sarah told me right there at the end,

don't you waste one moment worrying about losing me.

Love me. Now. Took me two years

to understand what she meant.

How do you Handle it? You don't.

You just love harder every single day.

You know, from the moment we got that horrible phone call

till she drew her last breath.

Six weeks, you've got something.

We didn't time, time

to make more memories, time to hold him closer.

But I just, I just found him. Now I'm gonna lose him some.

What if he forgets about us?

Then you be his memory.

You be his anchor just like you have been.

And you've got us, your chosen family.

We're not going anywhere.

I just feel so alone.

Yeah, yeah.

I know the feeling, but you're not. And neither is Michael.

And Call me anytime.

Even if it's just to sit in silence and eat crappy cookies.

And James, the greatest gift

that you can give Michael and yourself.

It's exactly what you're doing now, being here.

Let me finish this.

I want to surprise Michael.

We gather here, blessed by this abundance

and each other's company.

We're grateful for the love

and strength of this family

and for the spirit that guides us through both

joyous and challenging times.

May we have hope in our hearts

and find peace in our shared moments.

Let us be mindful of all

of life's blessings.

Amen.

Amen. Alright, let's dig in. I am starving.

You know, I used to cook such big meals.

Your father loved my cooking.

I would say to him, let's go out to eat.

And he'd say, why go out when the best cooking is at home?

I think he just didn't wanna spend the money.

He sure was crazy about you.

He used to tell me all the time about

how proud he was of you.

He only wanted you to be happy.

He didn't want us to put any expectations on you.

But I'm afraid I did.

Did I tell you that your father visits me quite often?

He comes to me when I'm sleeping.

It's as real to me as us sitting here.

What happens in the visit?

Oh, well, like last week I was lying in bed

and he was lying on his side of the bed talking

to me like it used to be.

And then I wake up

and I am, I feel so good for the rest of the day.

He tells me not to.

Fred or worry says he's building our house.

What house? When we first started dating,

I told him about a house I saw in an old Doris Day movie.

And he said that one day he was going to build it for me.

Mm. But with one thing

or another, we settled in another house, raised a family,

and life went on

from what he tells me.

Anything that you want to do

or see in the afterlife, you just have to think it.

You can walk down the street in the springtime in Paris in

1920, talk to all of the pets that that you've ever loved.

They understand every word.

He says that he is not rushing it.

He says that he wants everything

to be perfect for when I get there.

Are you doing okay sweetie? Can I get you anything?

No, I'm doing good, mom. Thanks.

Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas.

Merry Christmas, my boys.

How's it coming? I'm excited to find out how it ends.

It's good. I think. Of course it's good.

Do you want me to read you the last part?

No, I wanna be surprised.

Hey, you know what?

What? You're my everything.

I love you.

I'll let you get back to it.

I'll get back to heating leftovers.

Oh,

hey.

Yeah. How about you

read me the last part.

Yeah.

And summer faded into autumn.

Samuel and John made a pact under the harvest moon.

No matter what storms may come,

they would face them together.

Their love was a shelter, a fortress built not

of stone, but of shared dreams.

Quiet understanding.

An unwavering commitment in a world that sought

to tear them apart.

Samuel and John had found something

rare and precious.

They had found home in each other's arms.

Happy me. And

I couldn't. Yes, you

did. Well, I didn't mean to cut it.

You did it on purpose. I did not do it on purpose.

You did do it on purpose.

Just because I, I stepped on your old sad Santa.

Ah. Then you stepped on him deliberately, huh?

And you cut my life deliberately.

I did not do it deliberately.

You did tell me if I wanna ruin your tree,

I could ruin it if I wanted to.

Oh, broke. Oh my God.

And you know what's gonna happen next, right?

She's going back after Lucy's tree.

Oh, oh seeds. Oh my God. So sorry.

Oh, it is not gonna end well for either of them. Oh wow.

We thought we had a hard time decorating

our, they had it way worse.

Wow. Oh my God. What?

It's snowing.

Oh, so beautiful.

I can't believe it's snowing. Hmm. It's so peaceful.

It's perfect. Snowing on Christmas.

It's Christmas.

Yeah, it's Christmas.

Hm.

Merry Christmas. Merry Christmas. James.

Get out the bed another day.

I can't control the hands of

one moment, so dear.

Like the snow,

it struck me like the from the sky

it, oh boy.

So sweet. And so,

and true

all

to,

is it too much to

live now?

So nothing

can compete.

Love that. That made. See,

it struck me like the light, the

one moment so dear

that

it struck me.

It struck me.

And so,

Oh, So you know,

you are my favorite, favorite nephew.

And don't say it's because you're my only nephew.

You always say that. But you know that I love you dearly.

So I just wanna ask you a question.

Is there anybody in your life?

Well, there is this one guy that I met at a bookstore.

I wasn't even supposed to be working at the time,

but we were talking for hours and hours.

And he's coming over for dinner this weekend.

Oh good. Oh, that'll be beautiful.

I'm nervous. I'm a little

scared. I don't want to scare mom.

No, don't be, don't be scared.

Air, you'll follow your heart.

And things will all be good at the end.

And I think that, I think the world is your oyster.