As The Time Turns The Page
[August. 2015. Cheers. Morning]
(Over the past ten years, the bar scenario had changed a bit. Norm and Sam now had a third of their hair white, and Cliff's was white already. Ernie, Lizzie, Oakley and Holly were all sitting together at a table, the three teenagers still in their uniforms, doing homework, Oakley with a laptop and the rest with their textbooks and notebooks. Lizzie and Holly were about 5'7" and Ernie and Oakley were about 5'11". Although, being younger, it was likely that Ernie would still grow a bit taller. Carla, Diane and Woody were still the same, just older. Becky and Toby were now very old, but still kept up the habit of sleeping by the piano. Carla was coming back from the pool room with an empty tray, Diane was cleaning the tables of some customers who had just left, Woody was refilling Norm's beer mug, and Sam was preparing a Mai Tai for a young lady who had just walked in. As he finishes preparing the cocktail and hands it to Carla to serve it, he notices something in the corner of the bar)
Sam: (Annoyed) What's this? Some idiot has carved his initials next to ours! Just because it's a public place doesn't mean they can do whatever they want with it! Who did it? (Reads) "EM + HB", "EM + OB"?
(When Sam realizes whose initials they are, he looks at his children annoyed and Ernie and Lizzie look at him laughing, just as their mother did thirty years ago. Diane, seeing them, laughs too)
Sam: (Annoyed) You...
Lizzie: What? It's sweet, and romantic.
(Hearing her, Diane laughs. Oakley, Holly and Ernie look at her puzzled and Sam looks at her somewhat annoyed, looks at his kids and sighs resignedly)
Sam: You're just like your mother.
(As Sam turns, Diane looks at them with a smile as if to say "Well done, guys" and gives them a «Perfect» sign of approval of their behavior. Seeing this, the four of them laugh)
Making your way in the world today
takes everything you've got.
Taking a break from all your worries
sure would help a lot.
Wouldn't you like to get away?
Sometimes you wanna go
where everybody knows your name
and they're always glad you came.
You wanna be where you can see
our troubles are all the same.
You wanna be where everybody knows your name.
You wanna go where people know
people are all the same.
You wanna go where everybody knows your name.
[Cheers]
Oakley: Diane, are you too busy or can you take a look at my essay? I just finished it, just missing the bibliography.
(Diane looks at Sam looking for an answer and he nods)
Sam: Go.
Oakley: I'll send it to your email.
Diane: Thank you. (Goes to Sam's office)
Carla: It's been years and I still find it hard to believe that a Malone is good at school and a Boyd is in college.
(Hearing her, the children and their parents smile)
Oakley: Sam, if you're short-staffed, let me know and I'll give you a hand.
Sam: Thanks. There's not much work at the moment, but I'll let you know if I need anything. Thanks for the offer.
Oakley: It's the least I can do after leaving you with one employee less.
Carla: As if that makes any difference.
(Sam, hearing her, smirks and looks at her)
Ernie: (Sighs between frustrated and exhausted and stretches out, putting his arms behind his head) I'm the one who actually need a hand...
Lizzie: (Moving over to look at his notebook) What's the problem?
Ernie: (Sitting up straight and pushing her face away with his hand) Not you. (Leans back and points to his lips)
(Seeing this, Holly laughs and the rest smile resignedly)
Norm: Like father, like son.
(...)
(As Ernie finishes his homework, he stretches happily in victory)
Ernie: Finally! (Excited) Red Sox, here we come!
(After giving Holly a kiss, Ernie runs to Sam, Norm, Cliff, Woody and Carla. Diane, coming back from the pool room and seeing that her son has left everything behind, smiles resignedly and walks over to the table)
Diane: (Picking up the books) Just like his father...
Lizzie: He's still a boy.
Diane: Yes (laughs).
(...)
[Malone's house]
(While waiting for Lizzie and Diane, Oakley, dressed in a tuxedo, polishes the car. When he sees Lizzie come out in an elegant pink dress and Diane in an elegant grayish-blue dress, both with their hair up and discreet jewelry to embellish the outfit, Oakley is surprised, blushes, and smiles. At the sight of him, mother and daughter smile and exchange a glance and smile of complicity)
Oakley: You look... beautiful, stunning...
(Hearing this, they both laugh)
Oakley: Please, let me take a picture of you two.
Diane: (Smiles) Okay. But I want one of you two in return.
Oakley: Done! (Pulls out the camera, takes a picture of them and gives the camera to Diane)
(When Diane takes the picture, she gives the camera back to Oakley, he puts it away and opens the back door of the car)
Oakley: Ladies first.
(Diane nods with a smile, like approving the boy's attitude, and gets into the car. Then Oakley opens the door for Lizzie and walks around to get into the car himself)
(...)
(Hours later, Oakley says goodbye to Lizzie as Diane heads for the door)
Oakley: (Looking at Lizzie hopelessly in love) See you tomorrow.
(Diane, noticing how Woody's son is looking at her daughter, smiles tenderly, partly because she sees how pure and sincere his love for her is, but also because it reminds her of the way she and Sam looked at each her when they first started dating. Even to this day, after almost twenty years of marriage, they still looked at each other that way many times. There was nothing or no one that could extinguish that flame)
Diane: Oakley, why don't you stay for dinner? Sam and the rest are probably going to have dinner somewhere else, and there's plenty of food in the fridge, too much for two people.
Oakley: It's no bother?
Diane: Not at all.
(When Diane opens the door, Toby and Becky get up and go over to greet them)
Diane: You guys go study, I'll start making dinner as soon as I take a shower and get changed.
Oakley: Thank you. If you don't mind, I'm going to call my mother first. I don't want her to worry.
Diane: (Smiles) Of course.
Lizzie: Mom, do you mind correcting my Literature essay later? It's for tomorrow, but I'd like to focus on reviewing for the History exam.
Diane: Sure, no problem.
Lizzie: Thanks.
(...)
(In the kitchen, in her pajamas with an apron and her hair still wet, Diane makes a salad with grilled peaches while the asparagus and salmon fillets bake and while the potatoes for the mashed potatoes are cooking. Meanwhile, Lizzie and Oakley study for their exams in the castle library, still in formal clothes)
(...)
(When they finish dinner, Oakley helps Diane take the dishes to the kitchen while Lizzie collects the books from the library. When they all go up to the house, Lizzie and Diane are surprised to find that Sam and Ernie have not arrived yet)
Lizzie: I'm sure they're at Cheers.
Diane: Knowing Norman, that's more than likely. Your brother better be well prepared for tomorrow's exam.
(...)
(In Sam and Diane's basement, the third bookshelf is rolled to one side and Carla, Norm and Cliff leave the secret world to go to Cheers II)
Norm: (To the bar) I've missed you.
(...)
(In the castle library, Ernie reviews aloud his exam while Sam reads the notes in his notebook in case he has to correct it)
Ernie: (Singing) Political, ideological, military and propaganda war. Two blocs: capitalist West, communist East. In '45 Truman orders bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Stalin orders Russia to start the arms race. In '48, Russia blockades Berlin.
(...)
(In her room, already in her pajamas, with her hair wrapped in a towel and a green clay mask on her face, Lizzie reviews her History exam with her book in her hand, pacing back and forth, and Oakley reviews his notes on the computer sitting on her bed, also in his pajamas, with his hair still wet and with a mask just like Lizzie's)
(...)
(With her face already washed and drying her hair with a towel, Lizzie goes to the living room to see how Diane is doing with the correction of her essay. Seeing that her mother has fallen asleep on the couch with Becky and Toby and a book in her hand, she walks over, picks up the notebook next to her essay and reads: "Your analysis is absolutely brilliant and, honestly, far superior to that of an average student in your grade. It could have a high grade even if it were evaluated as a college essay. You have succeeded to find a perfect balance between objective and rational analysis and subjective and personal analysis, but above all, you have built wonderful bridges to authors from other eras and other disciplines and you have captured perfectly the emotion that the author conveys and that he provokes in the readers. Congratulations. It is a wonderful essay. I really enjoyed reading it and I'm sure your teacher will enjoy it as much as I did". Moved, Lizzie turns the pages backwards. When she realizes that her mother has made detailed comments rather than simple corrections, she smiles, grateful and surprised, and sits down next to her to read everything calmly)
(...)
(When, after a while, Oakley comes out with the two cups of tea Diane had brought them for after the bath, he is surprised to see Diane and Lizzie sleeping head to head, one with a book in her hand and the other with her History notes open to the last page, and Toby and Becky sleeping one in each corner of the couch. At the scene, he smiles tenderly, takes the cups to the kitchen, picks up Diane's cup, picks up the bookmark on the table, and carefully takes the book from her hand and Lizzie's notes. After leaving the book on the table and putting Lizzie's notes in her backpack, he returns and carefully takes Lizzie in his arms. Noticing this, they both wake up and Lizzie blushes with embarrassment)
Lizzie: Not in front of my mom!
Diane: (Laughs, getting up from the couch, half asleep) Don't worry, your father did that with me all the time. And not with intentions as pure as Oakley's.
(Hearing her, Lizzie grimaces in disgust and Oakley laughs)
Lizzie: (Annoyed) Mom!
Diane: What? I know children never want to think about that part of their parents' lives, but it's natural. Once you get to that point, you'll understand me. By the way, Sam isn't home yet?
Oakley: No.
Diane: I wonder what they're doing. It's almost midnight.
(...)
(In the castle, Carla, Sam and Ernie and Woody, Norm and Cliff have a battle with plastic swords as if they were Spartans against Trojans while Carl Orff's O Fortuna from Carmina Burana plays in the background to make the scene even more epic)
[Cheers. Weeks Later]
(The scene at Cheers is pretty much the same as always: Norm and Cliff sitting on their usual stools, Sam and Woody behind the bar making drinks, and Carla and Diane waitressing. When Diane sees her kids running down the stairs fighting, she throws a rope with a hook to one of the tables, hooks it on the table on the other side of the door and runs to the bar. As Ernie runs in holding one of his sister's books with his baseball glove, he does not see the rope, trips and falls down the stairs making the book fly. Diane lunges to catch the book as if she were reaching base and catches it before it hits the ground. Seeing her mother's move, Lizzie is surprised and the whole bar applauds)
Ernie: (Angry) Are you crazy?! I could have gotten injured!
Diane: This way you'll learn not to mess with your sister. Nor with books.
Ernie: (Angry) It's just that-!
Diane: It's just nothing. You're old enough to talk things over. If you don't behave properly, I'll make you sing Home On The Range like when you were kids.
Ernie: Isn't this humiliation enough for you?
Diane: What were you fighting about?
Ernie: I don't even remember anymore...
Lizzie: I think between final exams, the baseball final, the play premiere, and getting things ready for graduation, we're losing our minds.
Diane: I'd say you're losing your patience. I'll get you something to drink and a snack. Sit down and start with your homework.
Woody: Where are Oakley and Holly?
Lizzie: Oakley had a tutoring session. He'll be here soon.
Ernie: And Holly's setting up something for graduation with the art club, she'll come later.
Diane: (Sits with her children at the table) The end of senior year is very stressful, and there's not much you can do, but if we can help you with anything, don't hesitate to ask.
Ernie: You're already doing your best, Dad helping me practice and you correcting our assignments, sometimes past midnight.
Diane: (Smiles) All right. Then I'll continue with my work, but try to be nice to each other and to others, this time is not easy for anyone.
(Ernie and Lizzie sigh somewhat overwhelmed and nod. Then they take out their books and Diane goes to the bar to continue working)
Ernie: Mom... Would you mind correcting my Economics essay?
(When Diane turns and sees her son looking at her with a "Please, please, please" look on his face, she cannot help but smile)
Diane: (Taking the assignment) Sure.
Norm: (Patting Cliff's stool twice to signal Diane to sit down) Sit here with me. That way I can check that what he says is correct while you check the writing and spelling.
(Diane, seeing that Norm has offered to help, smiles)
Ernie: Thank you.
Sam: (Pouring him a beer) Today's on the house.
[Weeks later. Milton Academy. Afternoon]
(On stage, all the boys are dressed in a navy blue blazer, beige pants and a red tie and all the girls are wearing formal white dresses. On the students' faces one can see the mix of emotions: happiness, pride, excitement, sadness, nostalgia... And the feelings on the faces of their parents and teachers were not much different. The graduation ceremony begins with the speech of a select alumnus and continues with the speeches of Lizzie and another classmate, who had been elected the best of their year. When the speeches are over, the handing out of diplomas begins. Seeing the preschoolers and graduation photos projected on the screen and seeing their children and their friends taking their diplomas while a slow version of I'll Always Remember You sung by one of the students plays in the background, Diane and Woody burst into tears and hug their partners with emotion)
I always knew this day would come / We'd be standing one by one / With our future in our hands / So many dreams, so many plans / I always knew after all these years / There'd be laughter, there'd be tears / But never thought we'd walk away / With so much joy, but so much pain / And it's so hard to say 'goodbye' / But yesterday's gone / We gotta keep moving on / I'm so thankful for the moments / So glad I got to know you / The times that we had / I'll keep like a photograph / And hold you in my heart forever / I'll always remember you...
[Malone's home. Morning]
(Very nervous, Lizzie sits in front of the computer, scared to click because she knows that both her academic and personal future depend on one word. Seeing how nervous his daughter is, Sam strokes her back, Diane squeezes her hand, and Ernie pats her shoulder, trying to encourage her. Moved by the love and support of her family, yet terrified by the uncertainty, Lizzie clicks on the document and, when she sees that she has been accepted, they all jump for joy and hug each other in tears)
Another chapter in the book / Can't go back, but you can look / And there we are on every page / Memories I'll always save
(...)
[Fenway Park. Noon]
(Hours later, Lizzie, Sam, Diane and Holly are in the stands at the baseball field while Ernie is on the field with other young men, all visibly tense and nervous. When the coach comes out with the list of picks, the tension rises, but when he mentions the name "Ernest Malone", his eyes and his family's eyes fill with tears and Ernie runs to hug his parents, girlfriend and sister)
Up ahead on the open doors / Who knows what we're heading towards / I wish you love, I wish you luck / For you, the world just opens up
(...)
[Boyd's house. Afternoon]
(With her bags almost packed, Holly cries at the sight of her almost empty room. Seeing her sister, Oakley smiles sadly, hugs her to comfort her and rests his head on her shoulder)
But it's so hard to say 'goodbye'
(...)
[Malone's house. Evening]
(To celebrate Lizzie and Ernie's accomplishments, Sam and Diane had decided to make homemade pizzas. Happy to know that their children are going to start a new chapter in their lives and that they are going to be there to see it and to help them in any way they need, Diane leans on Sam with a smile and he kisses her. When Diane goes to get a glass of water, Lizzie and Ernie come running in excitedly showing them their new key ring with new keys)
Lizzie and Ernie: Mom, Dad, we're moving out.
(Hearing them, Sam turns to them in shock and Diane, stunned, drops the glass. At the sound of glass clinking, Toby and Becky are startled and leave the kitchen)
Lizzie: I'll get the first aid kit.
Ernie: I'll get the broom.
Yesterday's gone / We gotta keep moving on / I'm so thankful for the moments / So glad I got to know you
(...)
(The next day, the Malones are in the castle library, Sam and Diane looking through photo albums from when their children were little, and Lizzie and Ernie doing paperwork)
The times that we had / I'll keep like a photograph / And hold you in my heart forever
(...)
(The next day at noon, Ernie and Lizzie say goodbye to Toby and Becky to move out, giving them a big hug because they know that at their age they can leave them at any time)
I'll always remember you
(...)
(In Oakley's car with Ernie as co-pilot and the girls in the back, the four head towards their new home, looking out the window and remembering scenes from their own childhood and adolescence, at school, at home, in the "magic world" and on Cheers, as they see groups of kids and teenagers passing by)
Every day that we had / All the good, all the bad / I'll keep them here inside / All the times that we shared / Every place, everywhere / You touched my life / Yeah, one day, we'll look back / We'll smile and we'll laugh / But right now we just cry / 'Cause it's so hard to say 'goodbye'
(...)
(In their new apartment, Oakley and Lizzie and Ernie and Holly unpack, starting with photos of themselves, their parents, the people from Cheers and their pets)
Yesterday's gone / We gotta keep moving on / I'm so thankful for the moments / So glad I got to know you / The times that we had / I'll keep like a photograph / And hold you in my heart forever / I'll always remember you...
(...)
[Malone's house. Afternoon]
(Quite sad, Sam and Diane are sitting on the couch, Diane trying to read a book without success and Sam reaching for the TV remote control. At that moment the doorbell rings and Sam leaves the remote where it is and goes to open the door. When they see their children, they are both surprised and Toby and Becky get happy)
Sam: (Very surprised) What are you doing here?
Lizzie: We came to pick up the rest of the stuff. We didn't fit everything on the first trip.
Sam: (Looks around the yard, a little confused) Where's the car? Did you leave it in the garage?
Ernie: Most of it.
(Hearing Ernie, Sam runs out in panic, and Lizzie, he and Diane laugh)
Lizzie: Poor Dad (laughs). Let's see how long it takes him to realize we went in Oakley's car and not his.
Ernie: Well, to be fair we borrowed his too, he just doesn't know it yet.
Sam: (Comes running in and sighs in relief) Aren't you a bit old to play lying to your father?
Ernie: I didn't lie. The dust and dirt stayed on the carwash.
(Diane, watching her son tease his father, smiles proudly)
(...)
(When Diane finishes helping Lizzie pack and Sam finishes helping Ernie, the girls go to the kitchen and the boys get the dog's leash. As mother and daughter take the vegetables out of the fridge, they take the opportunity to talk)
Lizzie: I know this is hard for you and Dad, but your life won't change that much, it's just a new chapter. We'll still come home for Thanksgiving, Christmas, summer and spring break.
Diane: I know...
Lizzie: Although if you miss us too much we can come over more often to bother you, we're not far away.
(Hearing her daughter, Diane laughs)
(...)
(Before dinner, Sam takes Lizzie for a ride in the Corvette)
Sam: Lizzie... Even if we have a little trouble adjusting to life without you two, don't worry. We just want you to stay focused on your studies.
Lizzie: I know. What... What are you going to miss the most...?
Sam: Watching you grow up.
(Hearing her father, Lizzie smiles tenderly, touched)
Sam: And having you running around the house, doing things or fighting, just like when you were kids. You really have given us the best years of our lives.
(Hearing Sam, Lizzie smiles)
Sam: Well, the ones when we were sweethearts were wonderful, too.
Lizzie: (Smiles) Now you're gonna go back to that time.
Sam: (Laughs) I guess we are in a way.
Lizzie: You're a lot older than when you started dating, but you haven't lost the spark.
(Hearing her daughter, Sam laughs)
(...)
(In the kitchen, Ernie makes blackberry jam while Diane grinds oatmeal to make cheesecake crust)
Ernie: Hey, Mom... Do you feel like I'm making a mistake by not going to college?
(Diane, hearing her son, is quite surprised)
Diane: No. Why do you think I would think that?
Ernie: I don't know, you've always put a lot of importance on education.
Diane: Yes, but school is not the only way to acquire it. You like to read, listen to music, watch documentaries... Just because you don't specialize in one area of knowledge doesn't mean you're uneducated. In fact, I'm sure you'll make just as many people happy as Oakley, Lizzie and Holly, only you'll start earlier.
Ernie: Then...?
Diane: (Looks him in the eyes and smiles tenderly) Yes, I'm very proud of you. (Hugs him) As much as I'm proud of your sister. It's okay that you chose different paths. The important thing is that whatever you do makes you happy. And believe me, I know what I'm talking about, I spent ten years away from your father.
(Hearing her, Ernie laughs)
(...)
(After dinner, Lizzie and Ernie say their final goodbyes to their parents to go home. When they see Diane about to cry again, the siblings exchange a glance and smile resignedly)
Lizzie: Mom, you don't have to cry. School hasn't even started yet. And we all agreed to go to the beach together this weekend.
Diane: I know... But the house is going to feel so empty without you two...
Ernie: You can always call or come and see us.
Lizzie: We're here for you too.
(Sam and Diane smile and nod)
Sam: Enjoy... this new life.
(When his children nod with a smile, Sam closes the door as Diane wipes her tears. When he sees that she is going to sit down on the couch, he plays the video he had on his phone. Seeing that it is one of the songs they danced to on their honeymoon, Diane looks at Sam moved and he grabs her hand, pulls her to him and puts his other hand on her waist. Then, the two of them start dancing slowly, realizing that now the song has a new meaning. The love that does not change now is not only a couple's love, but the love that parents have for their children and that children have for their parents)
And when just the two of us are there / You won't have to ask if I still care / 'Cause as time turns the page / My love won't age at all / And I swear / By the moon and stars in the sky / I'll be there / I'll be there / I swear / Like the shadow that's by your side / I'll be there / I'll be there / For better or worse / 'Til death do us part / I'll love you with every beat of my heart / I swear...
Sam: Diane... Let's... keep having a good live.
*Author's note. I know that the way I tried to show how the song is integrated into the different scenes does not work in text format because it is meant for video format, but I was afraid that if I put all the specifications for each scene in notes, people would get lost trying to imagine the scenes, so I decided to use this method even though it is not quite adequate.