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OK, Leo, let's get ready.
Come here.
All right, Pixie is all good to go.
Great.
Are the little gift bags in the car?
Yeah, all packed away.
Thanks, James.
OK, off we go.
How about down here?
Yeah, I can feel that.
Oh, hey, Caleb.
Hi.
I'm sorry I'm early.
No, you're fine. I'll take you back.
Come on.
And bring it back.
Great.
So, how have the exercises been going at home?
Fine.
How's the walking part going?
OK.
Do you have anyone at home to help
steady you, your mom or dad?
They flew back to Kansas.
Already?
I needed some quiet.
So, who's helping you?
I can do it on my own.
What about the--
Thanks for having us back.
Oh, we love it when you come.
Oh, great.
The dogs are here.
They come by every year at Christmas time.
OK, so go ahead and start on leg raises
and I'll get some resistance bands,
and then I'll meet you over there.
How are you?
Good.
This is Leo.
So this is Pixie.
Yeah. How long have you had her?
I've had her for about two years now.
Such a good boy.
So sweet.
Thank you for coming.
My pleasure.
Oh, and, Merry Christmas.
Oh, thank you very much.
Hi.
This is Leo.
Can we sit for a minute?
Sure, I guess.
I'm Amber.
I run Davenport. Animal Haven.
What's your name?
Caleb.
Nice to meet you, Caleb.
Don't worry.
He's friendly.
OK, Leo, sit.
Good boy.
So, can I tell you about him?
Yeah.
Leo here was at the shelter, and when
I would tidy his kennel, he'd sit by my side,
just smiling and waiting.
And then he would lick my hand afterwards,
kind of like he was saying thanks.
And I would take him on walks and he would then look up
every few steps, like checking to see
if I was as happy as he was.
And, I wanted him to be happy all the time.
So I adopted him and ended up finding my best friend.
Well, it sounds like you're both pretty lucky.
Yeah.
Now, he loves coming on visits, and he loves Christmas.
How can you tell?
His tail wags more, and he loves to take
naps by the Christmas tree.
How do you know he's not just finding a warmer
spot in the wintertime?
Because he'll nap by the Christmas tree at my apartment
and at the shelter.
And I even moved the trees around each year.
And he always goes back to them.
Quirky dog.
Yeah, he is.
Fun personalities just like us.
So, do you have any fun Christmas plans?
Not really.
It's probably hard to focus on anything when you're
working so hard to get better.
Yeah, it's hard to ignore.
Here, close your eyes.
Why?
Just try it with me.
Are you one of those psychologists?
No, just a girl with a dog.
OK.
Now what?
OK.
Imagine you aren't here, nothing hurts, it's Christmas.
Where are you?
And what are you doing?
I am--
I don't know.
Come on.
There's no right or wrong answer.
Fine.
I am outside.
Is that it?
I'm still thinking.
OK sorry.
Keep going.
I'm on a mountain with fresh snow.
And the air is cold, but I like it.
And I'm at the top of a slope looking down.
And I'm ready to ski.
I like that.
So you're a skier?
I've been a few times, but it's
more so that I'd be able to do it,
and I wouldn't be worried about my leg being weak or scarred.
Maybe one day you won't even think about it.
There's more to you than your hardest days.
Like what?
Like your smile, it's a great one.
See, don't make me get out my mirror.
Please, don't.
I will take your word for it.
Good.
And where would you be at Christmas?
I would be inside a cozy cabin sitting by a warm fire.
And I'd be painting.
And what's the painting of?
Leo napping by a Christmas tree.
Are you an artist.
No, maybe if things were different.
But I'm doing what I need to do right now.
I do paint for fun every now and then when I have time.
Well, I'd like to see that painting.
Really?
Well, if I do it, you'll have to stop by the shelter
to see it.
You'd hang it up there?
Sure, at least at Christmas time.
Hi, there.
Hello.
Well, I guess I should stop disturbing you.
Thank you, I mean, for stopping by,
not for disturbing me.
I'm glad we got a chat.
Anytime you want to say hi to Leo
or any of the other animals, stop by the shelter.
OK.
Thank you.
Merry Christmas, Caleb.
Merry Christmas.
Come on, Leo.
All right, the red one or the purple one?
Thank you so much, Pastor.
You take care.
See you Sunday.
OK, bye.
Maybe some wood glue would help secure it.
I have a thicker bolt in place.
It should do the trick.
Thank you for doing this.
No thanks needed.
You want to grab some lunch?
Yeah, sure.
By the way, how's the job search going?
On hold.
Oh?
What I've been doing so far has been--
Not your cup of tea?
Yeah.
I think I'm rushing into the career,
and It's not working out.
That office bound marketing job
had you climbing up the walls. - Mm-hmm.
Yep.
This is good.
Take your time.
I remember when I left the army,
I had this idea that I had to have everything figured out.
But it's OK to take some time.
It's only been a year for you, you know?
More than that.
Well, since the accident, sure.
But then you had your surgery, and your recovery took
a long time to get through.
Maybe keep an eye out for something
that's more fulfilling.
Are you trying to get me to become a pastor?
If that's what you want,
but I think there are better options for you
that would be more meaningful.
There's always the veterans groups.
There's somebody that would need your experience, you know?
You could always volunteer temporarily.
Maybe.
All right.
Burgers or tacos?
Mm-hmm, burgers.
There's a new place on Everett Parkway.
Pick me up a combo.
Pick up?
I asked you if you wanted to grab lunch.
Oh, I walked right into that one.
It's on me.
Thanks.
Hello.
Hi. How are you
- Nice to see you. - You too.
There.
Is it straight?
You are no help.
Hey, James.
Is this straight?
Close enough.
OK, good.
OK, guys, let's get everyone something to eat and drink.
Hello.
Hi, Ryan.
I didn't know you were coming.
The best kind of surprise, especially when you have this.
What's that?
See for yourself.
Oh, wow.
Ryan, you already donated to the shelter this year.
Yeah, well, my accountant says I could use the deduction.
So, there you go.
Thank you.
This is so helpful.
The cost of running this place keeps going up,
especially because we're at capacity.
Glad I could help.
You put so much time into this place.
You could use a break, I'm sure.
Yeah, well, the animals can always use another break.
Any time I have, I like to give them extra attention.
But you can't overdo it and burn yourself out.
I won't.
Well, put that to good use then.
And take it easy, OK?
I'll try.
And thank you again, really.
Happy to.
Well, I'll see you later.
OK. Have a great day.
Wasn't that so nice?
Yeah.
I think he likes you.
What? No, he doesn't.
He's a patient at my dad's dental practice.
He's just being supportive of a good cause.
Sure.
Wait a second.
Hi.
How can I help you?
Sorry, you probably don't remember me.
I was at the Veterans Clinic this time last year.
And I-- Leo, right?
That's right.
Wait, Caleb.
Yeah, good memory.
Your leg, you're walking well.
Oh, yeah, thanks.
It took some time, but it's fine now,
as long as I'm not hiking.
That's good, unless you love hiking.
So I came by because, well, I saw the sign
and thought maybe you could use a hand, like a volunteer.
Oh, yeah, that'd be great.
Volunteers are awesome.
We could sure use the help, especially with the Christmas
adoption drive coming up.
But it is not glamorous.
Is it supposed to be?
I'm just warning you.
I have one person who works here when he's not in class.
I'm pretty much here all the time, but an extra set of hands
would be very welcome.
Great.
Well, thanks.
Can I have your number, you know,
so that we can coordinate schedules and such.
Of course.
OK.
The shelter info is on the front,
and then my cell's on the back.
Great.
Thank you.
Thanks for stopping by.
I'll see you soon.
Bye, Leo.
What do you think, Leo?
Mm-hmm.
I stopped by an animal shelter while I was out.
Why?
It was the one that brought the dogs by the veterans clinic
when I was doing my PT.
That was a while ago.
Yeah, it stuck with me.
I was thinking maybe it's a good way
for me to keep busy right now.
As a job or?
Volunteering.
Like you said, I don't need to rush into work,
but this felt safe enough for right now.
I think that's good, especially
with Christmas, a good time for friends and family.
I'm just saying.
I'm fine on my own.
Don't worry about me.
Habit for my army chaplain days.
I'm not going to change either.
Hi, Caleb.
It's dad.
We decided not to go on our trip we planned over Christmas.
Nothing's wrong.
It just didn't work out.
Anyway, we wanted to see if you wanted
to come out, if you're not too busy, just no pressure.
But if you can, we'd love to have you.
We missed you last year.
We miss you.
OK, let us know.
Are you sure it's this box, too?
This one has Easter stuff in here.
Yep.
Just dig a little.
You could separate the decorations.
I get lazy when I'm putting them away.
Easter stuff goes with Valentines and Halloween,
but that box was hard to reach.
Great effort.
Got it.
Oh, these ones.
Is your brother coming in to help still?
Yeah, he said he was coaching tonight,
but he promised he'd be by after the basketball game.
OK, good.
Hey, when is your shelter adoption thing this year?
December 23.
Can I leave fliers here? - Of course.
Great.
I'm just trying to come up with a catchy slogan,
and then I'll print them out.
Oh, how about "“Save a dog,
Put a smile on your kid's face?"”
It's a nice thought, but I'm not sure about that one.
What about all those statistics about how
many animals need homes?
Guilting people into adopting,
not the best strategy.
I'm out of ideas, then.
Hello.
- Hi. - Hey.
OK.
What do you need me to do?
Too late for the heavy lifting.
That tree was a beast to set up.
You're incredibly strong for your size.
I thought you could handle it.
There should be a couple more boxes in the back,
if you could bring those out.
OK. Got it.
There you go, Charles, looking good.
Someone's here.
Oh, hi.
Hi.
You're early.
I am?
Well, actually, you said you were coming today,
but I don't think we pinpointed a time.
So--
Oh, sorry.
It's fine.
I'm glad you're here.
That's James over there.
Nice to meet you.
I'm Caleb.
Hi. Welcome.
So, what can I do?
Come on back.
I'll show you around.
Here's the holding area.
We have another one down the hall.
We aim to get the animals out of their pens
as much as we can.
Are you comfortable handling dogs, cats, rabbits?
All the above, at least I'm willing to try.
Great.
It is not all playing with animals,
though, so prepare yourself.
Sure, the less glamorous stuff you warned me about.
I'm ready.
OK.
The dog and cat food is over here.
Oh, but if you ever notice we're running low on something,
please speak up.
It happens quicker than I realize.
This is a kind of enrichment area
so the animals can play, get wiggles out, and so forth.
Nice.
We have supplies in the cabinet to clean and whatnot,
as well as some dog treats and toys.
I can give you the normal chores we ask for help with,
but is there anything you were thinking of doing specifically?
Whatever you need.
Any particular skills you have?
Should I have brought a resume?
No.
I just don't know a lot about you.
What do you like to do?
Or why do you want to volunteer?
Well, after I was discharged from the army,
I worked in marketing at one company.
We have been doing handyman-type stuff, mostly
just helping a friend, more so than work, but stuff like that.
Cool.
And I wanted to volunteer because, well,
this stuck with me last year when you and Leo came to visit.
I'm glad it did.
Where's Leo by the way?
At home.
I don't bring him every day.
He likes some quiet time.
So you mind mopping?
All right.
How are you doing?
Good.
Glad to hear it.
Hello.
Hey, bud.
Rex. Suits you.
Later Rex.
Sure, you can come meet the animals
between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM.
We prefer if you call ahead so we can be ready,
but we also understand if that doesn't work for everyone.
Yes, we have our Christmas adoption drive on December 23.
You can adopt any time, though.
Yeah, sure, please do.
Thank you.
Bye.
Sorry.
I know that's not exciting, but--
If it helps, that's all that matters.
Thank you.
Hey, you said you work with sales or something before.
Yeah, marketing.
Well, I've been working on this flyer
to put out for the Christmas adoption drive.
I'm trying to come up with a slogan
or tagline, something catchy.
So far, I have "“Bring home a new member of the family"”
on the big posters.
And I like that, but I kind of want something shorter,
like... nothing.
Mm-hmm.
How about a play on forever but with the word fur?
Like, well, try not to laugh, but a cute
photo of a dog with "Furever Yours
At Christmas" written under it.
I told you it was bad. - No, no, no.
I love it.
What else?
All right.
Maybe "“Give the gift that loves you back."”
No, that's-- That's too long.
Oh, "“This Christmas, love and be loved."”
That's shorter.
Not bad.
Hey, maybe you could share stories
about how people's lives have changed after they adopt.
In the flyer?
Probably not.
It's too long, but I don't know.
Success stories might make people smile and want
that for themselves, like you and Leo
and what you told me about when you adopted him.
You remember that?
Yeah, mostly.
When people come here, I like to share the animals story.
It helps people think about how a pet
could fit into their lives.
Now we just need to get people here.
We're pretty much at capacity with the number of animals
we're sheltering, and that is never good.
A lot of furry ones to take care of?
Yeah, it can be challenging, especially
trying to find the right home for each animal.
And the costs are, oh.
Don't people have to pay something
for whatever they adopt?
Yeah, but it rarely covers the expense to shelter them.
Really?
So thank you for being here.
"“O come all Ye faithful."”
Hello.
Hi, honey.
How was your day?
Fine, dad. Thanks.
Hey, Becca.
Where's the straw for the manger?
Got it.
Here.
Be careful not to make a mess.
I'll try.
So, Heidi, how's the diner doing?
It's good.
I got a huge group coming for lunch,
kept me busy past the usual rush.
That's good.
So, how are things at the shelter?
Good, easier today.
I have a new volunteer, and he did a lot of cleaning,
so I could focus on other stuff.
What's his name?
Caleb.
You know, it is so nice when the youth
get involved in the community.
Oh, he's not that young.
He's not a student?
That's James.
Caleb is a veteran, but he's not that old, though.
Wait, what?
He was injured somehow and was discharged.
So he's like your age?
Yeah.
Is he handsome?
Mom.
If she didn't ask, I was going to say the same thing.
Me, too.
You went out of your way to not describe him like
you were avoiding keywords.
Yeah, keywords like my age and suitable date.
Exactly.
Shush, all of you.
He's nice, but I don't know a lot about him yet.
Come on.
Hey.
OK, Bella, let's show Caleb what we can do.
Hm?
Good, girl.
Nice.
Yeah, she's pretty good with other dogs.
So I'm going to grab Thora and let them play a bit.
Can you watch her?
Sure.
Hi, Bella.
Hey.
You did so good on the course.
You want to run it again?
No?
You're a heartbreaker, aren't you?
You're good with dogs.
Oh, thanks.
Yeah, it wasn't my job to train them in the army or anything,
but I like spending time with them.
I'd help run them through the training
course, whenever I could, kind of a bright spot in my day.
They have that effect.
Yeah.
Oh, sorry.
I'll get back to cleaning the bowls.
James has asked me to watch her for a moment.
Oh, you're fine.
I don't think you're slacking, if that's
what you're worried about.
Oh, good.
Would you want to help with exercising
the dogs on the course here?
Yeah, sure.
I'd like that.
Oh.
Something wrong?
I didn't realize what time it was.
I have a doctor's appointment just to follow up for my leg.
Sorry.
Now I feel like I'm slacking.
Not at all.
I did manage to clean all the windows.
I disinfected the pens for the cats.
And I cleaned the rabbit cages.
You got a lot done.
Thank you.
No problem.
I'll see you tomorrow.
Thanks for coming.
Bye, Bella.
Come on.
OK.
Good night, everyone.
Good night.
Did we already go through it all?
Oh.
Already?
I thought it would last longer.
You holding down the fort here, Leo?
Well, good job.
Come on, Tank.
Let's stretch our legs, OK?
Hi.
Hey, Caleb.
Did you want me to watch things up front
or is Leo in charge?
It's usually slow right now.
Leo will let me know if someone comes.
Wow, he's well trained.
This is Tank.
Really?
Did you make that up?
Maybe.
I like the irony.
Hi, Tank.
Yeah, you're so tough.
Hi, Rex.
I was actually going to get him out, too.
Give me a hand? - Sure.
Hey.
OK, Rex, you ready to come out?
Stay.
OK.
Oh. - Hey, bud.
He likes you.
He does?
Come on.
All right. Come on, Rex.
Follow me.
That wasn't it.
Come on.
Do you need a treat to bribe him?
Maybe.
All right.
Come back here, Rex.
All right. Good.
Stay. Sit.
All right. Ready?
And do what I do.
There you go.
Is Rex his real name?
He arrived with it.
So I assume so.
Well, a dog trainer I am not.
He responds to you.
Did you see what just happened?
OK, maybe he doesn't obey you, but he's intrigued by you.
I'm not sure it's mutual.
He just loves to be active.
He's been here longer than any of the others,
so this is a really nice outlet for him.
I try to take him home as much as I can,
but Leo doesn't like it.
Territorial?
Well, Rex hoards all the dog toys, so it annoys Leo.
That sounds like Rex.
Would you want to take him home for a night?
Me?
You're good with him.
Have you had your own dog before?
When I was a kid, yeah.
So you know what to do.
Well--
You don't have to, if you don't want to,
but think about it.
James should be here soon.
Are you hungry?
Yeah.
Let's get some lunch.
This is my friend's place.
I'll apologize in advance for anything she says.
OK.
Amber.
Hey.
Welcome.
I'm Heidi.
Caleb.
Oh, volunteer.
We have to be quick, so--
Sure.
Just look over the menu and let me know what you want.
Thank you.
I'll give you guys a minute.
I should have thought this through.
Is everything OK?
Yeah, their sandwiches are great here.
Get whatever you like, my treat.
No, you don't have to do that.
I can-- - You're working for free.
The least I can do is buy lunch.
Well, thank you, then.
So, how'd you come to own the shelter?
I started out like you, volunteering
more to have something to do as a teen after school.
The founder of the shelter was a neighbor of mine, Cathy.
She was always kind.
And she had the biggest heart, you know.
She never minded that I came by,
and pretty soon, she asked me to work there for real.
So you've been working there since high school?
No, I was away for a few years for college,
but I came back one summer.
And by then, Cathy's health wasn't so good,
and the shelter needed a lot of attention.
She didn't want to see it closed.
And she always said that she felt like it
was what God wanted her to do.
But since she couldn't do it all,
maybe I was meant to take over.
She asked me to run it.
It's a lot of pressure.
Yeah, I felt like that sometimes.
She passed away a couple of years ago
and left it to me to keep it going.
And I haven't looked back.
So you never wanted to do something else?
I studied art for a bit.
Oh, that's right.
You like to paint.
I told you that?
Last year.
You and your memory, but yes, I do like painting and pottery
and things like that.
But I felt like this was more important.
It's not like I planned it or thought it would become
such a big part of my life.
But then I started to see what Cathy meant.
Sometimes God leads you to where you need to be,
even if it's not what you expected to end up.
Well, I suppose you're lucky.
It's not easy to know what to do with your life.
Is that why you joined the army?
At first, maybe.
I wasn't so sure.
It seemed like a good solution, but then I really took to it.
Can I ask what happened?
Training accident.
I got rolled in a vehicle that turned too hard
during a training exercise.
Wow.
Yeah.
Of all things, nine years, and that's what takes me out of it.
I'm sorry.
Like I said, it was an accident.
Back to square one.
Starting over.
It's a process.
Well, I'm glad it brought you to the shelter.
Me, too.
It's been nice, sometimes loud, but nice.
Yes, that is just one of the stresses.
What are the others?
Worrying about the animals, I can't find enough homes
for them, having enough resources
to take in every animal and keep them sheltered and happy.
Some days I worry about not having enough food for them.
It's a lot on your shoulders.
Some days are easier than others.
I don't think my parents saw the shelter
as a career at first, at least not the one
that they imagined for me.
But they see how much I love the animals,
and they understand why I need to do it.
They always support me now.
It's nice having their support.
How about you?
Tell me about your family.
My parents, they live in Kansas.
Any siblings?
No.
Are you going there for Christmas, then?
No, I'll stay here.
Are your parents coming to visit you?
No.
Wow.
It must be hard.
I can't imagine Christmas without my family around.
You get used to it.
Because of being in the army?
I don't know, that makes me want to see
them even more when I could.
We're not that close lately.
Oh, sorry.
So yeah, if you need any help over the holidays,
it won't interrupt anything.
I couldn't ask that of you.
I'm offering.
Well, thanks.
I'll remember that.
How was the shelter today?
Good.
There are a lot of dogs there, you know.
Something for you?
Oh, no, no, no.
Fine. Fine.
You'’re really liking it there, aren't you?
So far, yeah.
It's different.
More fur?
Yeah, there's that too.
But no, there's good people.
It's a nice change.
I'm glad.
Since you've been volunteering, you've been
different, more energetic.
You think so?
Yeah.
I'm glad you found something that you're passionate about.
I don't know if the shelter is necessarily a passion,
but honestly, it is nice to keep me busy.
Yeah, it's more than keeping you busy.
You have to be satisfied, too.
Do you remember Jessica Andre?
Yeah, of course from Lieutenant Squire's platoon.
Yeah, she's back, rotated out.
I hear she's not doing very well.
Oh.
Yeah.
She hasn't found her footing, purpose.
You know it's important.
Maybe you, with this shelter thing,
maybe you found your purpose.
And if so, I'm thrilled.
We'll see.
It's easy for me.
I don't have all the responsibility,
like Amber does.
Hey, you remember, Mac who trained dogs in the military?
Yeah.
Do you know how to get a hold of him?
I think I have his number in here.
Why?
You going to get him to adopt some dogs, too?
No.
I'm wondering if he has any idea on how to get dog food
at a better price or donated.
Dog food.
Sounds like things are tight at the shelter.
Here it is.
Sending it to you now.
Thanks.
You're really getting into this, aren't you?
I'm just trying to help.
Here.
Hey, Mac.
It's Caleb Hale.
Come on, Leo.
Let's get ready to go.
Hi.
Is Rex still needing a break?
Yeah.
Whoa!
OK.
Wait.
No, don't go up there.
Oh, what was I thinking?
Come on, Rex.
Back to the kitchen.
There you go.
Stay there, all right?
Good night.
I was surprised you took him to lunch.
I was being nice.
Do you have a picture?
No. Why would I?
I do.
I took one when they weren't looking.
Heidi.
Nice.
Right?
Back to work.
I need to start getting these flyers
out to businesses and stores.
Becca, you're not even helping.
Right.
I thought he was nice.
You said three sentences to him, if that.
Only because you chased me away.
I want to meet him.
No.
Why not?
Just go to the shelter and meet him.
Good idea.
No, no, no.
You go there to pick out a pet, not a guy.
It was nice of him to take Rex home.
Yeah.
I wonder how he's doing with that.
He sounds lonely.
Well, Rex has been at the shelter for--
I mean, Caleb.
Oh.
You should invite him over for Christmas.
No.
At least for dinner.
No.
I'll tell mom.
She'd say it's the Christian thing to do.
Yeah, no one should be alone on Christmas.
You don't think that sends the wrong message
or seems inappropriate?
Funny you should say that, unless you're
worried because you do find him interesting and attractive.
Excellent point.
That's it.
No hot chocolate for you.
Oh, no.
Rex, what are you doing up here?
I have a reporter friend.
She said she'll write up something for their website
about the adoption drive.
That'd be great.
I also have these flyers, and I have been taking
them to businesses and stores.
Do you know anyone I could take some, too?
Yeah, let me take some.
Thanks.
And just let me know if your reporter friend needs
any information.
I am happy to talk with her.
Great.
One of my clients is a therapist.
She was asking about maybe partnering somehow,
so her clients can interact with the animals.
Could I take you to meet her?
Maybe a lunch date.
Yeah, I'd love to meet her.
I'll set it up maybe after Christmas.
Sure.
See you later.
Thanks again.
How was Rex?
Did he behave?
I took him for a walk last night.
We went a few miles, but he could have gone a few more.
Then my leg started acting up.
Thank you for giving him a break.
Yeah.
You want to take him tonight, too?
No, it's OK.
Do you have any more flyers, though?
I can see about handing some out later
when I head out for errands.
That'd be great.
Oh, we are out of dog food, cat food, and pellets
for the rabbits and Guinea pigs.
Would you mind going with James to stock up.
It gets to be a lot of heavy lifting.
Yeah, sure.
Will that hurt your leg?
No, no, it'll be fine.
OK.
Hey, James.
The stuff we get should be just over here.
How many bags do we need?
Eight for the adult kibble, two of the puppy, and one bag
of senior kibble.
We'll get this, and then we'll get the cat food.
Got it.
So, do you know who came by earlier,
the guy talking with Amber?
That was Ryan.
He's a donor-- helps keep us afloat.
I know Amber really appreciates him.
Oh.
I'm pretty sure he likes her, too,
but she's kind of oblivious about that.
Yeah, I got that vibe from him.
She doesn't know.
I don't think he's anything directly.
Do you think she'd be interested?
I don't know.
Why?
Just wondering.
Right.
Hi, Rex.
How's it going, bud?
Hey.
You doing all right?
Yeah, I got to get back to work,
but I'll take you through the obstacle course later, OK?
All right.
It's a date.
Hey, James, I forgot to ask you to get
more chew toys for the dogs.
Oh, I-- I could go back.
No, it's OK. Thanks.
Hey.
For visiting the Veterans Clinic tomorrow,
I was thinking I might take Caleb.
Makes sense.
So, are you OK with that?
Yeah, I mean, I can look after things here.
I think it'd be good for him.
That's very thoughtful.
You think so?
Sure.
I think he'll appreciate it, too.
OK, good.
Not that it matters, he's fine with whatever tasks, right?
Yeah.
Good.
You know what to do?
Let Pixie do the talking.
You'll see she has more effect than anything you say.
I don't know about that.
You made a difference to me.
I did?
Yeah.
All right, all right. I'm coming.
This is Leo.
Oh, is he a poodle?
He is a poodle, full-bred poodle.
Wow.
Everywhere
the season's shining through
But all this red and green just leaves me feeling blue
The only wish list that I made
Begins and ends with your name
Come on and merry me up
Don't let me down
Spin me around while the snowflakes kiss the ground
I need you
To break up the cheer
Bring your holly jolly self right over here
My Christmas spirit sure could use your touch
So wrap me in your warm December love.
Hey.
Thank you.
For what?
For letting me come along.
How many times am I going to need
to remind you that I am the grateful one, Mr. Volunteer?
Well, still, that was special.
It's a different perspective not being the injured one.
It looked like you were able to connect with them in a way
that I can't given your military service.
Maybe.
But that doesn't mean you coming is any less powerful.
Thank you.
You do that every Christmas?
I try to go every month or two,
but Christmas is especially important.
Wow, that's really impressive.
It's good having more human interaction.
For the dogs?
I meant for me.
But it's good for them, too.
Can I ask you something?
Of course.
Was your military service an issue with your family?
I'm sorry.
That is none of my business.
No, it's OK.
I just I'm not that great at talking about it.
But no, they didn't mind.
They just worried.
Who wouldn't worry in their shoes?
Yeah, but they were supportive, so.
Oh.
You're wondering what happened.
I'm sorry. I'm being nosy.
No, it's OK.
After the accident, I was--
well, let's just say I wasn't that easy to be around.
I was afraid I wasn't going to recover,
and well, I didn't know what I was going to do next.
My parents, they-- they kept trying to make everything
better, like this relentless optimism always saying things
like, "It's all part of God's plan.
There's better things ahead.
You just have to have faith."
I was raised to believe in God, but it
got harder and harder to keep hearing
them say it over and over.
How could something so terrible be part of his plan, you know?
Anyway, we had an argument, a big one.
And I'll admit it was more my fault than them,
but then I pushed them away.
There you have it.
I'm sorry.
You know, I haven't told anyone that except for Eli.
Pastor Eli?
Yeah.
We served together, not in the same capacity, of course,
but he was the army chaplain, and we stayed friends.
I didn't realize that.
Thank you for telling me.
Yeah.
Come in.
Hey.
Hi.
What's up?
I came as soon as I could.
Oh, those look yummy.
Help yourself.
I'm trying to figure out how to cut costs at the shelter.
I thought you already cut what you could.
Well, not enough.
It sounds like you need to bring more money in.
Can you raise prices to adopt?
No, because it has the opposite effect.
Less people adopt, and then I have more animals to care for.
Yeah, it makes sense.
I even got an unexpected donation, but utilities, dog
food, rent, it's already gone.
I'm using my own money to float the shelter.
I can't keep this up.
So, any ideas?
At your basketball games, there are
always banners from sponsors.
How does that work?
They pay to have their logo and information
shown as sponsors for the event or school team.
But we usually have banks and orthodontist sponsoring.
I'm not sure it'll fit for the shelter.
I was thinking vets.
That's a good idea.
Every pet you find a home for is a potential new patient
for a veterinarian.
Exactly what I was thinking.
What do I do?
Call up and say, hey, can I print your name
in exchange for money?
I think you'll need to sell it a little more than that.
Think about how you got other donations for the shelter.
Most came from when Cathy ran it, and a lot of those
have already tapered off over time.
What about that Ryan guy?
He's the one who gave a little extra recently.
I can't ask for more.
Well, I'll write some talking points for a sponsor then.
And I'll start compiling a list of our offices to call.
OK.
Mac.
Hey, any luck?
Really?
Thank you so much, man.
Yeah yeah.
Hold on.
OK, go ahead.
Yeah, perfect.
Yeah, I'll reach out to them about how to pick it up.
Thank you again.
This means so much.
I mean it.
OK.
Yeah.
Take care.
Hey, Merry Christmas.
All right.
Yes.
OK. Thank you.
Bye.
Hey.
Caleb, I thought you weren't coming in today.
Yeah, I wasn't, but I have some news.
So I reached out to an old army buddy of mine who's
to train dogs in the military.
And long story short, I told him about the shelter
and asked if he had suggestions about getting
dog food at a better price.
You did all that?
Yeah.
Well, he called and passed along what we need.
And well, guess what?
This one company is willing to pledge
a year's donation of food for all of our cats and dogs.
Are you serious?
Caleb, that's-- thank you.
Yeah, it wasn't me.
It was Mac and his company.
I can't believe you did all this.
Seriously, you went after it, though.
Well, you have enough to worry about.
Not nearly as much now.
Really, thank you.
Yeah, of course.
So, what are you working on?
I'm trying to find a veterinarian
to sponsor the adoption drive.
Nothing yet, but I'm not even halfway through the list.
Do you need any help?
I might be done with these calls before tomorrow.
But if not, that'd be great.
Sounds good.
I'll see you tomorrow.
Thank you again.
Wish you a Merry Christmas
We wish you a Merry Christmas
Sounds great.
We'll see you tomorrow.
Bye, bye.
Hi.
Can I help you?
Yeah, I have kind of an unusual question.
Here you go.
It takes some time to get to know him.
Oh, look at him. oh.
Hello.
Davenport Animal Haven.
Hi. I'm calling for Amber.
This is she.
I'm with First Line Animal Hospital,
and we have six hospitals throughout the county.
I just wanted to find out more about sponsoring
your Christmas adoption drive.
Oh, great.
Wait, how did you hear about being a sponsor?
A man came by.
See, what was his name?
I wrote it down somewhere.
Oh, here it is.
Caleb Hale.
Oh, great.
Any questions I can answer about the sponsorship?
Hi.
Looking for something?
Him.
Hey, what's going on?
The animal hospital.
Did they call?
Yes.
Oh, good.
I wasn't sure if I was doubling up.
You might have called already, but I was driving by
and thought, why not?
They signed on to sponsor the Christmas adoption drive.
That's great.
You have no idea.
Look, are you doing anything tonight
No.
Why?
My mom always has a Christmas pie night in December.
I want you to come.
We'll make it a celebration.
OK.
Yeah, sure.
Sounds fun.
I hope this cross turned out all right.
I can tell you right now if it did.
Oh, no, you don't.
Oh.
Hello.
Hi, everyone.
Oh, hi.
I'm Becca.
Evan.
Nice to meet you.
Hi, Heidi.
Good to see you again.
And this is Caleb.
Caleb, this is my mom and my dad.
Pleasure.
Oh, I'm so glad that you could join us.
Amber told us all about those miracles
that you worked for the shelter.
So you get the first slice.
Now on Christmas pie night, we do
have a little bit of everything,
but we like to start with a proper dinner.
So we have shepherd's pie first.
Sounds delicious.
OK, well, Margaret, why don't you
say the blessing on the food.
Happy to.
Our gracious Father in Heaven,
we are grateful for this fine meal and the traditions that
bring us together to celebrate your son's birth
at this special time of year.
We are so pleased that Caleb could join us.
Help him to feel at home here with us.
Please bless this food as we know that it is from your hand.
And we are thankful for all of the blessings that you give us.
In Jesus's name.
Amen. - Amen.
Amen
Well, dig in, everybody.
There's plenty more, but save some room for the dessert pies.
- Thanks, mom. - Mm-hmm.
So, Caleb, when you're not single handedly
saving the day at the shelter, what do you do?
I think Amber gives me too much credit.
I help out an old army buddy at the church.
Oh, how long did you serve for?
Nine years, sir.
Call me David.
Amber mentioned that you had been injured.
How are you feeling now?
Mom.
Pretty much good as new.
Good.
Your poor parents must have been beside themselves.
This is good pie, mom.
Thanks, honey.
So tell us about yourself.
Amber only tells me so much.
Oh, we should do that 20-questions thing, you know,
like what you guys do when I bring home
a date to meet the family.
Great idea.
What do you think?
Oh, sure, why not?
Brace yourself, Caleb.
He's our guest. Maybe let's--
What's your favorite meal?
Steak, I guess.
First car?
An old Bronco.
Do you have a girlfriend?
No.
What's your favorite pie?
Pecan.
Perfect.
Because I made some for later.
What kind of books do you read?
Thanks for helping me with these.
I want to start selling them at the diner.
I'd buy one.
These are so cute.
They make great neighbor gifts, too.
Can I have one?
Of course.
Caleb, do you want a hot chocolate pop?
Sounds great. Thanks.
Come on over here.
There you are right there.
All right. How does this work?
You never had a hot chocolate pot before?
No.
Come on. You'll love it.
Pick one.
Like that?
Yep.
And then we just add some milk.
Hey, that's pretty neat.
It tastes good, too.
Oh, thank you.
Mm-hmm.
Oh, wow.
That's good.
I know, right?
Hey, what if you sold these at the adoption drive?
What do these have to do with pet adoptions?
Oh, it fits more under Christmas, but I don't know.
It could be an impulse buy, something festive.
I'm just thinking out loud.
You don't have to do it.
No, I like that idea.
Yeah, I'd buy them.
Can I pay you to make some for me to sell?
Yeah, of course.
Something wrong?
No, I'm just thinking,
hot chocolate pops work for Christmas,
but you could also sell collars and leashes.
Oh, cute.
Or you could invite in existing pet owners
to decorate a collar for their dog or--
Decorate a leash.
Or even photos with Santa Claus.
Santa Paws.
It's starting to sound less like an adoption drive, though.
But that's good.
Instead of just another adoption drive,
it could be like, like a Christmas pet fair.
So I can tell my neighbors about it
without them feeling like I'm pressuring them to adopt?
Exactly.
But just people being there will help spread the word
and get people thinking.
It sounds like we've got a lot of work to do.
I need to update all the flyers
and tell the reporter that Ryan arranged what we're doing.
How did you get to be so creative?
I don't think I've ever been called creative.
Well, you are.
Thank you.
Seriously, you don't know how huge all of this is.
A few days ago, the shelter was broke.
I was trying to figure out how to keep it all going
and not give more than I could afford myself.
I didn't know what to do, especially if I had to turn
away an animal in need.
I'm glad it didn't come to that.
But then you went above and beyond, like way beyond.
And for the first time, I am eager to get
to work without the fear that I'll fail.
Knowing that I can focus on the animals
with less pressure about the money side is--
thank you.
I could tell that you are worried and sad,
and I didn't want that.
And thanks for bringing me along tonight.
It's been a while since I've been around a family.
They liked meeting you, too.
I'm sorry for their non-stop questions.
OK, we are going to make this the best
Christmas adoption drive yet.
- We're holding it here? - Yes.
And pray for good weather, because we're
going to have to do crafts and things outside.
But I think it'll work.
Now, Heidi is making the hot chocolate pops.
I think we put her in charge of selling that over here.
And then we'll have somebody run decorating
the collars and leashes.
Do you want me on that?
I'll get my family to help out.
I'd rather the three of us handle the adoptions, though.
We can do that.
However, I do like the Santa's photo idea,
especially for people who just adopted a pet.
I'm thinking we put up a backdrop for that about here.
Sound good?
Yeah.
Now, this is a lot to handle.
On top of everything we do each day.
I can focus on it if you want.
It's too much, man.
I think I can figure most of it out.
You two were handling all the normal things
before I came anyways.
OK.
I'll go ahead and adjust the new flyers,
but do pass along anything that's too big.
All right.
And is there a volume discount at all?
OK.
And all that's in stock right now?
Cool.
Yeah.
OK Well, thank you very much.
Yeah, goodbye.
Sorry.
It's fine.
How you doing there, Rexy?
Still eating all your kibble?
Yeah, he's doing all right.
Hey, what's the story?
You said every animal has one.
Yeah.
He's the one I don't know much about.
When I first brought him here, I
was expecting someone might show up to claim him
because he's so sweet, and he gets along with other
dogs well.
Now I just keep waiting for someone to adopt him.
I'm not sure why no one has.
One day someone will see him for who he is.
I wish everyone could see animals the way you do.
What if they could?
I could type up all the animal stories for the adoption drive.
And maybe display it next to their kennels.
Yeah.
That way, if I can't tell them myself,
they can still learn about the animal they're looking at.
Yeah, I like it.
It's nice brainstorming with you.
I just hope it helps enough.
I want this to go really well for you.
Thanks.
Hey.
Would you-- would you want to do something tonight
after the shelter closes?
Yeah, I'd like that.
What's this?
You like painting and pottery.
I thought this combined both of those.
Are you serious?
I know the shelter is so important to you,
but I thought you kind of might need a break
and want to reminisce.
This is so great.
It's been a long time since I've done anything artistic.
Well, then, shall we get started?
Mm-hmm.
If I paint my own camouflage, will you judge me?
Not at all.
So, what are you painting?
I'm thinking a dog in a Santa hat.
Napping by a Christmas tree.
I will save that for canvas.
Well, either way, I think, you'll put me to shame.
OK.
Do not put me on a pedestal yet.
Who knows how the dog will turn out?
So, if you hadn't gotten involved with the shelter,
would you have pursued art?
Oh, I don't know.
It's kind of hard to imagine now.
But do you regret not giving art more of a chance?
I don't think so.
I like the variety of things I do at the shelter.
I'm fine with art being my hobby.
What about you?
If I hadn't joined the army?
Yeah.
I don't know if anything specifically,
but it's more so a feel of what I like to do.
Which is?
Being useful.
I don't know.
I say that, but there's a lot of ways you can be useful.
Maybe it's the variety that helps.
Did you have that in the army?
Yeah.
A lot more than you think.
Well, I guess you are trained for whatever could go wrong.
To a degree, yes.
But there's a lot of times that you just have to improvise,
you know, find a solution.
I think I like that, too.
That's why you're so amazing.
What?
All of your good ideas and problem solving.
I'm willing to bet, though, you've always had that talent.
Who knows?
Well, I am just lucky that you stopped by the shelter
and have put up with the noise and craziness.
It's been exactly what I was missing, seriously.
And not just the work, it's the little smiles on all the dog's
faces like Rex, the fun little personalities of all the cats,
and James and especially--
- you.
Is that OK?
Of course.
Good.
There's this focus he has, like an intensity
that is so impressive.
Everything he does, he does 110%
That's rare.
And it's sweet, too.
It makes me want him to have some joy from all this.
What makes you think he doesn't?
He seems happy, except for well, he's alone.
Alone or lonely?
Both.
He's going to be a lonely Christmas.
Well, you should invite him to spend it with us.
That's what I was thinking.
But?
It'd help, but it wouldn't fix what needs fixing.
He shared some things with me the other day, and--
And you want to make it all better, just like those dogs
and cats at the shelter.
Yeah, but it's more than that.
He deserves to be happy, truly happy with nothing held back.
But I know he can't get there without making
some changes with his family.
Well, why does it matter to you so much?
Because it hurts when I catch glimpses of him when he's sad.
And you care for him.
He'll find his way one day at a time.
Not if he does it alone.
Well, who said that we were going to leave him alone?
Nah.
What is in these anyway?
Nothing.
They're just a decorate for the adoption drive tomorrow.
What?
Well, I was so curious.
Ready?
1, 2, 3.
CHATTER
Let me know if you need any help.
Thank you.
Hey, boy.
You want to come home with me today?
I have to admit, I'm pretty grumpy in the mornings, though.
That's the nice thing about them, huh?
What's that?
Dogs, they'll accept you as you are,
no holding your flaws against you.
Yeah.
Only we could all be that way, huh?
Right.
But what about that guy over there?
Yeah, so that's actually Rex.
He has been at the shelter the longest.
And we don't have a ton of information on him,
but he is the sweetest dog.
He loves to play fetch.
He gets along with other dogs great.
Yeah.
I can see how people would really like that for the cats.
Here.
I'll be right back.
Thanks.
This is the biggest turnout I have seen at Christmas time.
Amber has to thank for this.
No, we've all pitched in.
But Amber, she does so much.
And I just hope we find homes for a lot of animals.
Yeah.
So, what are you doing for Christmas?
I'm just keeping it quiet this year, relaxing on my own.
Oh, well, we would love for you to spend it with us.
Oh, thank you.
I don't want to intrude.
It's a day for family.
It's no intrusion at all.
Heidi is joining us for the day.
James is coming for Christmas dinner.
You could at least join us for that, couldn't you?
Maybe.
Speaking of family, where is yours?
Won't they miss you?
I don't think so.
They're back in Kansas.
Every parent wants to be with their child at Christmas,
no matter how old or young.
It's not that simple.
Why ever not?
OK.
Come on.
Out with it.
We're not that close anymore.
And it's I just don't think that they want to forgive me.
Caleb, trust me, if there's anything to forgive,
they've already done it.
You know, certainly Christmas is the perfect time
for healing and forgiveness.
That's what it's all about.
Take whatever step you can, even a small one.
And give them something, you know, a way to bridge
the gap between them.
That'll be the best Christmas present.
Thanks, Margaret.
Yeah.
Well, either way, the invitation still stands.
I appreciate that.
This is Rex, who you were asking about.
Like I said, he is great with children
and a wonderful family dog.
Thank you.
He's beautiful.
Yeah, you just want to head over to James over there.
He'll help you start the paperwork.
Of course.
I'll come back and check on you in a few minutes
and see how you're doing.
Thank you.
Hey, guess what?
What?
That couple over there is thinking about adopting Rex.
Oh, that's great.
They have two kids at home.
He'll win them over, I'm sure.
It's not certain yet.
They're also thinking about Ollie.
Ollie's great, too.
Do you want Rex to stay?
No, no, he--
he needs to get home.
And he looks so happy.
Oh, he's a sweetheart, too.
I know.
He's smaller than Rex.
Yeah, I was thinking the same thing.
But Rex is so friendly, and he's been here so long.
How do we choose?
Would you want to adopt both?
They get along with each and other dogs.
I don't know.
This would be our first dog.
I think we need to stick with one for now.
No pressure.
Just a thought.
Hi.
I'll be right back.
So, how's it going over there?
They're still deciding, although--
What?
I think Ollie'’s going to be their choice.
Oh.
I really wanted Rex to have a homeless Christmas.
Yeah, me too.
He still could.
Yeah, the drive isn't over yet.
What?
There's a connection between you two.
I mean it.
I'm not trying to get you to do something you don't want to,
but I can see you love Rex.
Amber, we all care about the animals here.
Caring for their well-being isn't the same as worrying
that he's not with you.
Am I wrong?
No.
How are you going to feel if they choose Rex?
I'm going to go check on them.
Will you watch Rex for a second?
How are we doing over here?
Good.
All right.
What do you think, Rex?
I'm afraid I'm not a perfect fit for you.
It's just me.
And I don't want to let you down, you know.
She is right, though.
If anyone has adopted you, I'd really miss you.
You're my buddy.
What do you think?
You want to give this a shot, you and me?
Yeah, OK.
Let's do this.
We're doing this.
Yeah.
Here are some instructions on Ollie specifically,
what and how much he's used to eating,
and general things as well.
OK.
So we're all set?
Yes.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
Bye, Ollie.
So ready to sign Rex's adoption papers?
Yeah, I am.
And got it.
- Thank you. - Thank you.
Bye bye.
Merry Christmas.
Hey, looks like a successful day.
These are all the adopted animals today.
The biggest pile ever.
That's so good.
Who would have thought this would all come together?
Not me, if I'm being honest.
Congratulations.
Thank you.
And really,
we couldn'’t have done it without your help either.
Oh, glad I could help.
Do you know why I do it?
For the animals.
That's nice and all, but no.
I do it to see that smile on your face. For you.
Oh.
Amber, I think you know how special I think you are.
And when I see something special, I can't let it go.
Ryan, I-- thank you for thinking so much of me.
I know you care.
And-- - And?
I appreciate all of the support
that you've given to the shelter and your friendship.
But--
But nothing beyond that?
No.
I'm sorry.
I had no idea.
I-- I had to try.
You can't blame me, can you?
No.
And I'm flattered.
Well, at least I got that right.
I had hoped maybe I could at least take you out,
let you get to know me more.
I appreciate that, but I wouldn't want to lead you on.
You haven't.
Are you sure?
I feel so silly.
If you want to change your mind about donating to the shelter,
I completely respect that.
Amber, don't worry.
I'm OK.
And thank you for being honest with me.
You're a wonderful person, Ryan.
Sorry, man.
I guess he spoke up.
It's fine.
A record number of adoptions in one day,
seriously, you guys were great.
We did it.
And I don't know about you, but I am exhausted.
We're close tomorrow and Christmas Day.
But to take care of the animals, how about we
take turns?
Sure.
Works for me.
Great.
Who wants to go out for dinner?
I'm in.
I'm actually kind of beat, and I want
to get Rex settled at home.
I'll finish up here before I go.
Merry Christmas to you both.
Come on, Rex.
Hey, I found one of your toys, Rex.
Here you are.
Here's a good boy.
Stay.
Don't move.
You look adorable.
Guess who joined the family.
Good boy.
It feels right.
Already the house is warmer with Rex in it.
I could see that coming, you adopting him and all.
He's a good dog.
Yeah, he is.
And you let him in.
I'm proud of you.
Thanks.
So now it's time to keep going.
What do you mean?
It's time to let others in your life.
Eli.
You isolated yourself from people who love you.
Am I wrong?
No, not really.
Just listen.
I've tried to keep my friend hat on and support
you in whatever way you feel.
But let me put on my pastor hat for a minute, OK?
OK.
It's been hard to watch you struggle this past year,
not only because you pushed away your parents,
but also God.
I'm not trying to.
I know my parents meant well, and they
just want what's best for me.
But-- but they don't know what it's like.
They're trying in the best way they knew how with faith.
And they're not the only ones that want what's best for you.
God does, too.
It doesn't seem like it.
Why?
Because the accident is the hardest thing
you've gone through so far?
Do you think it's easy for him to watch you struggle?
It isn't.
Then why?
Why would any of this happen?
Because he loves you so much, he
will let you go through those hard times
not because he wants to see you suffer,
but because he knows you will come out stronger and happier,
if you surrender any suffering to him
and if you just don't give up.
You really believe that, don't you?
I do.
In the first chapter of James,
he taught that we can see a trial as joy,
knowing that the testing of our faith
produces patience.
And that, in turn, strengthens us and perfects us.
So the question is, do you believe that?
Rex, come here.
Ready.
Sit.
Hey.
I got something for you.
All right.
I picked it out myself.
Do you like it?
Should we try it out?
OK, here we go.
Mm-hmm, it suits you.
Merry Christmas, buddy.
Hello, Caleb.
Hey.
How are you?
Is everything OK?
Is that him?
Yes.
Yeah, yeah, everything's fine.
Listen, I-- I know it's been a while since we spoke.
And-- and I'm sorry about that and a lot of other things, too.
It's probably too late, and there
might not be any flights left.
But if you want to come visit for Christmas, that'd be OK.
I'd-- I'd be OK with that.
I'm going to look up flights right now.
We'll be there Christmas Day at the latest.
OK.
Did We make cinnamon rolls this year?
I did.
Yes.
All right.
Now all the food is out, so eat and graze
as you wish for breakfast.
But remember that Christmas dinner is at 5:00,
so don't stuff yourselves or you'll be sorry.
We never do that.
Mm-hmm.
Did you tell James that time for dinner?
I did.
And you said you invited Caleb?
I did.
So, is he coming?
I don't know.
He didn't say yes, but he didn't exactly say no either.
Maybe I should have said something,
like seconded the invitation.
He seemed-- I don't know.
Maybe he was just tired after the adoption drive.
Come to think of it, maybe I shouldn't
have asked him to check on the animals at all over Christmas.
He has Rex now.
Honey, you are overthinking everything.
And he'll probably come.
I guess we'll see in a few hours.
Hold still.
I just need to get you dry.
Almost there.
And good enough.
It's better, Right You know we still need to talk about where
you're going to sleep.
No more sleeping in my bed, OK?
Who knows, maybe I'll get you one of those ridiculously
large dog pillows.
Would you like that.
Is that a yes?
OK.
Who could it be?
Stay here.
Mom.
Caleb.
Oh.
Dad.
Merry Christmas, son.
I'm glad you guys came.
Us too.
Who's that?
That's my dog, Rex.
Come on in.
Hi, Rex.
Oh, hi.
How are you?
He's wonderful.
Cute dog.
Come here, grand-puppy.
Where are the little tongs for the veggie tray?
That drawer.
David, did you find the cloth napkins?
I'll get it.
Thank you.
Oh, Heidi, would you be a dear and grab
me a pitcher over there?
Yeah, of course.
Mm-hmm, something smells good.
Yep, dinner's almost ready.
I think Caleb's coming, too.
Oh, he is?
Yeah. Why?
I just figured he wasn't.
Did he say something?
No, no reason.
James.
Maybe he just wanted to have some space.
You know, he's independent.
Or maybe because he likes you.
He said that?
No, but it was clear, unspoken but I could tell.
Well, then why wouldn't he come?
Well, maybe because he saw you and Ryan,
you know, with the two of you getting together.
I'm not with Ryan.
Oh, it looked like it at the adoption fair.
No, we're not together.
but Caleb thinks I am?
Amber.
Hi.
Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas to you, too.
Do you want to come in?
I didn't mean to interrupt.
I can come back later.
No, Amber, wait.
It'’s Rex just in there getting spoiled by my parents.
They came?
I'm so glad.
Yeah, me too.
Hopefully I can give Rex a good life here.
I have no doubt you will.
I think you both will be very happy.
I'm not dating Ryan.
What?
James said that you thought I was, but we're not.
And I have never felt that way about him, especially not now,
when I've come to admire you.
Admire?
More than that, really.
I think I'm falling in love with you.
And not just because of what you did for the shelter,
but because you're amazing all on your own.
Is that all right?
Amber, I--
I felt something for you the first day we met.
You did?
How could I not?
And I think--
I think I've been falling in love
with you a little more each moment
we spent together since then.
So, yes, it's more than all right.
Good.
What?
It's just it's hard for me to imagine someone
so full of life and purpose and kindness
ever being interested in me.
One day, I hope you recognize all of the good and strength
that I see each time I look at you.
But until then, I am happy to remind you.
Merry Christmas, Caleb.
Merry Christmas.