From: nick@pacific.mps.ohio-state.edu (Nick Bonesteel)
Subject: GL: Update for Thursday, Dec. 30 (at last!!)
Organization: The Ohio State University; Department of Phyiscs
Date: Thu, 31 Dec 1992 14:39:37 GMT

WARNING:  I AM NOT NICK.  PLEASE DO NOT REPLY TO THIS POST.  Personal 
messages should be sent to: lizb@banyan.com.

Sorry for the delay on this, folks (although the one posted yesterday
was pretty good).  Not only is the Berkeley posting service bouncing
my messages, but the Indiana posting service is accepting them and not
posting them. :-(  Anybody know of another service I could try??

Most of what's in this update is old news to everyone by now, but I
thought I'd post it anyway.  There were some really good moments; less
filler than a lot of Christmas shows the soaps come up with.  Among
other things, I thought the character of the priest was very well drawn,
especially considering he was a one-shot character.  And I must admit,
I find Alan-Michael much less annoying when he shows signs of a spine!

Anyway, without further ado, it's Christmas Eve with...

GUIDING LIGHT
Thursday, December 24

At the Church

Levy grudgingly wheels Mallet into the church.  A.C. finds a priest and
asks if he'll hear his confession, since he can't fit his wheelchair into
the confessional.  The priest recognizes him; A.C. compliments him on his
memory.  The priest says he never forgets a face, even if he hasn't seen
it for a while.  A.C. smiles sheepishly and says he didn't want to bother
until he'd done something he knew he deserved to burn for.

At the Firehouse

Harley walks in on Frank, who is putting up a Christmas tree.  She asks if
he picked the lock.  He grins at her:  "What, I'm gonna tell a cop?"  
Harley says she had to run his party yesterday - where was he?  He looks
solemn and says he had to play Santa somewhere else.

At Ed and Maureen's

Chaos reigns as Maureen and Michelle prepare to bring the baby toys to 
the church.  Ed is trying to help them carry the box of toys to the car;
Maureen points him toward the egg nog.  Michelle is bundling up for the
trip, and Alan-Michael takes the box to the car.  Maureen tells Eleni 
that the old cliche about pregnant women is true for her - she's glowing.
Eleni smiles, a little sadly.

At Nadine's

Bridget is hiding behind a screen in the attic, panicking as Billy rummages
around.  Nadine walks in, looks around, and screams.

Billy stumbles and knocks down the screen; in the ensuing confusion, Bridget
is able to scramble behind a dresser.  Nadine says she thought he was a
prowler.  She starts shooing him away, telling him she still has gifts to
wrap.  He laughs, indulging her by leaving.  Bridget is upset; she wants
to go to the hotel immediately.  Nadine calms her and tells her she couldn't
get a reservation on Christmas Eve.  She leaves Bridget with a box of
cookies and _Riders of the Purple Sage_ (Billy's favorite book).  "Cheer up,"
she says breezily as she leaves.  "It's Christmas Eve."

At Ed and Maureen's

"How come my dad calls you the dark prince?" Ben asks Alan-Michael in front
of his father.  Fletcher promptly excuses himself from the threesome.  Nick
and Eve come in bearing a fruit basket.  Nick asks Alan-Michael about Alex.
Alan-Michael doubts his sincerity.  Nick says he probably deserved that, but
he really does care.  Fletcher asks Nick if he and Eve will be "stuffing
stockings together."  "Subtle," Nick responds, laughing.  Ed is looking for
Christmas napkins.  Eve helps him rummage around, and they find the Fourth
of July napkins.  At least they're festive, Ed concludes philosophically,
and tells Ed he's useless without Maureen.  What about Lillian?  Eve asks.
Is she coming tonight?

At Lillian's

Lillian is reading a letter she's just written to Ed.  She tells him his
friendship is very important to her, and she can't believe she ever thought
it wasn't enough.  She says she was greedy and selfish to think their affair 
could go on - she'll just treasure it as one more moment in the most
sustaining relationship of her life.  She puts the letter in an envelope and
seals it.  "Merry Christmas, Ed," she says aloud, and smiles.

At the Church

As Michelle and Maureen clown around in the background, A.C. confesses to
hurting someone for no reason - at least none that he could tell her.  Not
that she'd need a reason; he's been miserable company.  He hasn't been able 
to do things for himself, and he hates that.  But she's been wonderful -
she even found them a ground floor apartment.  "Excuse me," the priest
interrupts mildly.  "Have you been living with this woman?"  A.C. hesitates.
"Do we have to get into that?"  The priest shrugs.  "It's your confession."
He tells the priest he can never be a father, and she wants children very
badly; she had to give one up once, and it still hurts her terribly.  He
knows she'd tell him it didn't matter, but he doesn't want to be the one she
gives up her dream for - a dream she could have with almost any other man.
The priest looks at him and tells him this one isn't in the rule book, so
he's not going to give A.C. his penance.  He'll let the penance find him.
And when it does, the priest tells him, he wants A.C. to come back and
tell him about it.  He ends the confession.  A.C. looks crestfallen.
"Couldn't I just say ten Hail Marys?" he asks, a bit plaintively.  "Never
hurts," the priest replies, and leaves.

A.C. watches Maureen and Michelle.  Michelle sees him, and tells him how
much he misses her - she likes Blake, but Blake doesn't like to baby-sit.
A.C. tells her that means the next time Blake is baby-sitting she should
set her hair on fire.  Impulsively, Michelle throws her arms around her,
wishes him a merry Christmas, and runs out of the church.  He tells
Maureen how cute she is.  Maureen confesses that for years she felt put
upon and singled out because she couldn't have a biological child; but 
now she looks at Michelle and realizes she couldn't be more blessed.  She
thanks A.C. - she thinks she needed to say that in a church, where God
could hear and might forgive her for her selfishness.  She leaves.  A.C.
wakes up a snoozing Levy and says he has to get home.

At Nadine's

Dylan, Julie and H.B. show up, making a racket.  Nadine pours egg nog.
Julie asks her how she deals with them all.  Nadine says she could listen
to them and pour punch for the rest of her life and be perfectly happy.
Billy lights up around his kids, and she's so happy she can give him 
another.  Julie asks after Bridget; Nadine says she's in the mountains,
doing good.

Bridget paces in the attic, reading the book.  The baby kicks, and she
rubs her belly, laughing.  She starts singing a Southern version of "O
Little Town of Bethlehem", and then her voice grows serious.  She stops,
staring forlornly into space.

At Ed and Maureen's

Eve and Nick leave.  Eve tells Ed to say hi to Lillian for her.  Ed says
she'll be there soon; they have their friends well trained around the
holidays.  She's a good friend, isn't she?  Eve says.  "I just wonder
sometimes if she can take care of herself, that's all."  She holds Ed's
gaze for a moment, then leaves.  Maureen and Michelle return in time
to give them each a dish of cookies.  She kisses them goodbye.  Ed pulls
her aside to tell her about the napkins.  They watch Michelle and smile.
"What?" Ed inquires, seeing something in her expression.  "I love you
so much I could cry," Maureen tells him simply, and hugs him.

Fletcher has Ben light a candle for his mother.

Lillian enters, bearing gifts.

Alan-Michael gives Eleni a pin in the shape of a butterfly, telling her
it stands for her freedom - if she wants it.

At the Firehouse

Harley supervises Frank's decorating.  They toast, and reminisce about
Christmases past with their father.  They're glad they still have each
other.  She tries to leave before A.C. returns, but he comes in and sees
them both.  He asks Frank to leave; Frank willingly obliges.  Harley tries
to follow her brother, telling A.C. they were just trying to do something
nice.  He asks her to do something for him now - stay, and don't interrupt.

He asks her to come closer - she crosses the room halfway.  He travels
the remaining distance, and takes her hand.  Her eyes fill with tears.
"I don't believe in things," he begins awkwardly.  She pulls her hand
away.  He tells her he doesn't pay attention to the world - he still
thinks everything has to be up to him.  He loves her, but that's not
the point.  "It's a sin to put yourself apart from everything else," he
says fiercely.  "You've got to pay attention like your life depends on
it."  He tells her he can never be a father; that the doctors won't say
never, but he knows what they mean.  "Are you finished now?" she asks
evenly.  He nods.  She turns and leaves without a word.

At Ed and Maureen's

Eleni is exasperated with Alan-Michael.  He doesn't understand; he thought
he was giving her what she wanted.  She says she doesn't want even that
from him right now.  She's been watching him, unsure of his welcome, unsure
that he belongs.  She doesn't want that for their baby.  He'll be raised
in Alan-Michael's house, with Alan-Michael's life; but he'll be taught what
he can and cannot do with it.  Alan-Michael tells her he wasn't being noble.
He wants her with him; but only if she's really *with* him.  He doesn't 
want her to keep running to Frank.  She starts to explain about the boiler,
but he says he knows; she always has a good reason in her mind.  But he
can't keep coming home and finding her gone, wondering if she's with
Frank.  "If I can't count on at least your physical presence," he says,
"then I don't want you at all."

At Nadine's

Nadine finds Frank on the porch.  She asks after Harley; he tells her
Harley's dealing with A.C.  Nadine is confused; Harley could have brought
A.C.  Frank tells her they broke up.  Nadine is shocked; when did that
happen?  Frank observes caustically that she doesn't keep up with current
events in her children's lives.  She returns, a little exasperated, that
she knows he and Harley will never forgive her for being a horrible 
mother; but there are people in the house who don't feel that way.  Frank
shakes his head at her; she really doesn't understand why it's so hard
to be around her sometimes.  Because I dream the impossible dream and
pursue my own selfish desires? she volunteers.  Partly, he says, then 
smiles.  Mostly because nobody's mother was as fun as she was.  She let
them stay up late to watch Johnny Carson and eat fried chicken in bed.
"I just thought you'd like the same things I did," Nadine says shyly.
He tells her nobody's mother was as pretty as she was - some kids 
actually gave him money to look at her underwear.  They embrace, and
she asks if Harley's okay.  He shrugs off the question and asks if she
knows what Harley put in his laundry - all his underwear is pink.  Not
that there's any chance of anyone seeing it, he finishes ruefully.
Nadine wants to know where he got such modesty; certainly not from
her.  Must have been from Dad, he says.  They share a wistful look.

Bill sticks his head out the door and says Billy wants her to come 
see what he found in the attic.  "The attic?" Nadine repeats faintly.

H.B. uncovers a beautiful bassinet that Billy found in the attic.  It
used to be Billy's, he tells her.  Miss Martha took him everywhere in
it.  H.B. says any woman who can raise a Lewis deserves a shrine in her
honor; but his shrine building days are over.  He gives her a check for
the baby, and Nadine hugs him.  In the attic, Bridget excitely tells her
baby he's going to be rich.

At Nick's

Nick and Eve celebrate a cozy Christmas together, with a candlelight 
dinner, wine, and dancing close to Christmas carols.  Later Nick gives
Eve a gift.  She feels bad because she didn't buy him anything; he says
that's not the point.  She opens it; it's a pair of ice skates.  She is
thrilled.  She doesn't know anybody who knows her as well as he does;
nobody else would have thought of it.  They kiss; but when things warm
up she pulls away and says she has to go.

At Ed and Maureen's

Maureen notices Fletcher is a little blue.  He smiles sadly at her and
thanks her for the warmth of her household.  "You really are an angel,
you know that?" he tells her, and gives her a kiss.  Ed pulls everyone
to the table to say grace.  They hold hands around the table, and Ed
thanks God for family and friends.  Maureen looks up as he is speaking,
her eyes glowing with love.  He meets her eyes.

At the Firehouse

Harley returns in a temper.  "You liar.  You fink," she begins, deadpan.
"I know," he starts.  "Shut up," she snaps.  Didn't he realize she knew
it was something?  He figured she'd just think he was a jackass.  "Shut
up," she says again.  "Will you stop telling me to shut up?"  "Why? That's
what you do best."  She wants to know who'll take care of her when it's her
turn.  He wants to, he tells her, but he can't do anything the way he is.
"What you could do you didn't," she accuses.  "I thought I was giving you
what you wanted," he says helplessly.  "You don't know what I want!  You
don't have a clue!"  Did he think she wanted to cook and clean for him, 
listen to him wallow and complain about everyone who tried to do anything
for him, bathe him and test his urine to make sure his medication hadn't
done something bad?  "No, of course not," he answers, defeated.  "Yes, I
did!" she cries, punching his shoulder.  "Of course I did.  When you took
that away it was like somebody died."  All he had to do to take care of
her, she tells him, was to say something that was very hard to say.  "Don't
ever do this again, do you understand me?" she says.  No, he doesn't
understand - unless she's telling him she's back with him.  Where else
did he think she'd be?  "I could go out and yell at a wall, it's easier;
but that's what I have you for, right?"  He tells her he knows she was
hoping for a certain future, and she can't tell him losing that means
nothing.  No, she can't tell him that; but it doesn't mean what he thought
it meant, and it doesn't mean she's leaving him.  She turns away, 
frustrated.  He hauls himself out of the chair and walks toward her,
collapsing into her arms.

At Nick's

Nick starts to apologize.  She says he didn't do anything; she's just
slow.  But she's okay.  She grins.  She could skate home without those
skates.  She gives him a quick peck and turns to go.  She stops in the
door, telling him she lied; she didn't buy him anything, but she did
bring him something.  She hands him a torn jack of hearts, a memento
of an old Cambrai bar, a favorite of theirs until it was burned down.
They sober under the weight of their memories.  "It's funny what survives,
isn't it?" she says; then kisses him again and leaves.  He watches her go.

At Nadine's

H.B. is on the phone with Mindy, telling her to come home.  Billy takes 
the phone and tells her she doesn't have to come home if she doesn't want
to, but he'd feel better if he knew where she was.  

Dylan tells Julie he's taking her to New York to meet her family.  She
says her father will love him - if her stepmother lets them in the door.
They embrace.

At Ed and Maureen's

Ed runs into Lillian in the kitchen as she's getting ready to leave.  She
tells him she'll be staying at Cedars.  He's pleased; what changed her
mind?  She says it won't remain a mystery for long.  He says he can see
something's changed; it seems people are always moving on without him.
Maureen comes in and they say goodbye.  Lillian leaves.  Maureen takes 
some things out of the oven, and Ed moves the gifts to a corner of the
counter, where the letter slips between the countertop and the wall,
unnoticed.

At the Firehouse

On the floor, Harley is covering A.C. with joyous kisses.  He promises
never to put her through anything like that again.  I love you, she
says over and over; you walked.  He brushes it off; they knew that'd
happen eventually, and it's not what they're celebrating.  You idiot,
she laughs, you walked - we have to remember how you did that.  Easy,
he said - I was walking to you.  Smooching ensues.

At Nadine's

All gather around the fireplace as H.B. reads the Christmas story from
the Bible.  All in the living room are snuggling.  Bridget listens from
the attic, gently rubbing her belly, tears in her eyes...

...across town at Ed and Maureen's, Ed swings Michelle in an embrace,
then grabs Maureen and dances around the room with her.  Eleni watches
them, smiling; behind her, Alan-Michael watches her unseen, yearning
in his eyes...

...Nick regards the torn playing card, reminiscing...

...Harley and A.C. smooch some more...

...back at Nadine's, Frank looks beyond H.B. into the fire, as H.B.
concludes the story:

"...Glory to God in the highest, and on earth, peace, good will 
toward men."