Chapter 5: Jetta's redemption
(Jetta finds herself in a different house with a young 6-year-old dark-haired girl putting some ornaments on the Christmas tree in the background)
Jetta: Huh? Where am I?
Ghost of Christmas Future: We are now in the future, Jetta.
Jetta: Spirit, whose house are we in? (Gestures to the 6-year-old girl) And who's that little girl?
Ghost of Christmas Future: In a few seconds, we'll see 2 friends of yours. Maybe now you'll see that I'm not so boring after all. (The door opens and in comes Charley as an adult wearing a brown suit and a green necktie the little girl sees him, runs over to him and she pulls him into a hug)
Kathy: Daddy! Mama, Daddy's home!
Adult Charley: Hey, Kathy! (Holds his daughter up and kisses her, then some footsteps are heard) Hey, honey. (Cuts to Emily Elizabeth as an adult, but we only see her head)
Adult Emily Elizabeth: Hi, honey. (Zooms out to reveal her wearing a similar style of clothes when she's younger while she's also caressing her rather large belly with her bellybutton showing under her shirt and she joins her husband and daughter and they kiss each other as Adult Charley puts Kathy down and she and her parents each put a hand on her mom's belly)
Jetta: Emily Elizabeth and Charley are married? And she's having a baby? (Adult Emily Elizabeth and her daughter sit down on the couch with Kathy stroking her mom's belly as Adult Charley takes his jacket off and walks over in the background)
Kathy: You okay, Mama?
Adult Emily Elizabeth: I'm fine, sweetie. I just feel chubby at the moment.
Kathy: Well, I like how big your tummy is.
Adult Emily Elizabeth: So does your father.
Adult Charley: I heard that. (Sits down on the left side of his wife, kisses her cheek, and leans down to kiss her belly)
Adult Emily Elizabeth: (Giggles with her belly slightly bouncing) Charley, stop kissing my ticklish spot.
Adult Charley: But I like hearing that giggle you make.
Kathy: (Rests her head on her mom's belly) Hi, Buster. Will you be coming out soon, hopefully by Christmas? (Baby Buster responds by moving around in his mom's belly)
Adult Emily Elizabeth: (Laughs and puts both of her hands on her belly) Easy, Buster! Mommy's ticklish! (Sighs as her unborn baby calms down and rubs her daughter's head) You really are looking forward to meeting your brother, aren't you?
Kathy: Yes, even though I still like how big and round your tummy is.
Adult Charley: I do, too, sweetheart, especially since I find it makes your mother attractive, but the baby has to come out eventually.
Adult Emily Elizabeth: Your father's right, Kathy. (A growling sound is heard and it turns out to be Emily Elizabeth's stomach as they all look down at it making Adult Emily Elizabeth feel a little embarrassed) I don't know about you 2, but I feel real hungry. Think it wouldn't hurt to do an early dinner? (Begins to stand up and stretches her arms out, then groans as if she's in pain and puts her hands at the bottom of her belly)
Adult Charley: (Quickly stands up) Emily, are you okay? It's not time, is it?
Adult Emily Elizabeth: (Begins to rub her belly) I'm fine, Charley, it's just a false alarm. The baby just headbutted my ribs.
Adult Charley: (Rubs his wife's belly and walks over to the kitchen) How about I take care of dinner? Don't forget the doctor warned you to be careful with stuff around the house in your condition.
Jetta: What does all this have to do with my future?
Ghost of Christmas Future: Sssh, listen.
Adult Charley: I've heard some stuff about Jetta at the office.
Adult Emily Elizabeth: What stuff?
Adult Charley: According to a newspaper article I read at the office, most of her products are somehow not doing well with the consumers. In fact, she'd been forced to withdraw every one of her makeups, nail polishes, and lotions on the market due to millions of complaints. I wouldn't be surprised if she'd file for bankruptcy.
Jetta: Bankruptcy?
Adult Emily Elizabeth: Poor Jetta. (As she continues talking in the background, Jetta begins to tremble in fear) She worked so hard with her beauty career, even started her own magazine to promote her products. Now, it looks as though everything she worked for will be history.
Jetta: Spirit, is this a vision of what might happen or will happen? (Some ghosts, both human and animal, appear and float around in a circle singing in a haunting tone)
Ghosts: You wear a chain
A heavy chain
Is wound around your soul
The chain of sin and vices
That you could not control (The song is interrupted as Jetta begins screaming)
Jetta: (Screaming) No! Please, Spirit, tell me that I may change the shadows you've shown me. I know now that you aren't boring and I will not shut out the shadows you and the others have shown me. I promise! (Returns to her room) I promise, I prom-Huh? (Looks around and excitedly dances) I'm home! I'm home! Just like Scrooge, I've been given another chance. I know I will. (Singing) I'll tell a tale about Christmas that brings a lot of good cheer
I'll tell a tale to bring laughter and maybe the gift of a tear
I'll tell a tale of a miser
Who spoils every joy that he can
Can he get older and wiser?
Will he become a better man?
Christmas stories
What more memories will bring
Christmas carols make me want to sing
I'll sing a song full of wonder like snow from the heavens above
I'll sing a sing about Christmas
I have a new song of love (Cuts to the kids back at where the play was to take place with President Howard and Ms. Carrington on the stage with Clifford sitting near the stage wagging his tail)
President Howard: Well, it's Christmas Eve, kids. I am very proud of you all during the rehearsals yesterday and I can't tell you what a grand honor it was for me to be the play's director. (Everyone cheers with Clifford howling happily)
Ms. Carrington: Now, then, get your costumes on and get ready, everybody. The guests will be here any minute.
Jetta: All right. Now, I better put my cloak on and practice my gestures. (Walks over to her dressing area, cuts to Clifford and Mac as they noticed Jetta's strange behavior)
Clifford: Uh, Mac? Is Jetta okay?
Mac: I don't know, Clifford. Ever since she woke up this morning, she just acted as though her roll in the play isn't as boring as she thought.
A/N: Looks like Jetta, like Scrooge, has learned to not be stingy. The song Jetta sings near the end was from a 1997 animated version of "A Christmas Carol," that starred Tim Curry as Scrooge. Next is the last chapter where we get to see the show.
