Grow Old With Me
Written by Jeff Mills
episode 8, season 4
(Griffin is asleep in bed while Julia is brushing her teeth in the bathroom. Griffin hears her and slowly wakes up.)
Griffin: Julia? Julia?
Julia: Yeah?
Griffin: What time is it? (looking at the alarm clock & talking to himself) Eight o'clock!
Julia: How do you feel? (kisses Griffin)
Griffin: I had about fifteen minutes of sleep last night, and I woke up twice in those fifteen minutes.
Julia: God, Griffin! The hardest part is over! We're already married. It's just now we're getting married!
Griffin: I know that. It's just I was so excited about today that I was all wound up last night.
Julia: I know. I was, too, but I got my rest. Are you sure you're going to be okay?
Griffin: I'll be fine. Besides, I wouldn't miss this day for the world.
Julia: (smiles and kisses Griffin) I love you. C'mon, get dressed, Griffin!
Griffin: Okay.
(Julia leaves the room and Griffin starts to fall asleep again.)
Julia: Griffin!
Commercial break.
(The Salinger house. Everyone is preparing for the wedding, including the caterers and the crowd of family and friends invited.)
Julia: Justin!
Justin: Hey, Julia!
(They hug.)
Julia: I'm so glad you could come.
Justin: Well...(looking at Griffin) I wouldn't miss it for the world.
Griffin: (extending his hand out to Justin) Justin, I know that we haven't always gotten along, but I really would like to call a truce...now.
Justin: Are you serious?
Griffin: Yeah.
Justin: Okay. (shakes Griffin's hand) It's a deal.
Bailey: You're here alone?
Sarah: Yeah, well, John and I decided that it was best if we saw other people.
Bailey: Really?
Sarah: Yeah.
Bailey: Huh.
Sarah: What?
Bailey: Nothing.
Sarah: What?
Bailey: It's just...
(Claudia interrupts them.)
Claudia: Bai, the photographer is here!
Bailey: Okay, Claud! I'll be right back, Sarah.
Sarah: Yeah. (smiles & then starts to look puzzled)
Kirsten: That is a beautiful dress!
Jennifer: You really like it?
Kirsten: Yes. It looks great!
Jennifer: Thank you. You know, Kirsten, I'm really sorry for misjudging you.
Kirsten: Oh, don't worry about it.
Jennifer: No, really. I've been very rude to you and I just want to say that I feel bad for being insecure and rude about everything.
Kirsten: It's okay. Let's just put it behind us and be friends, okay?
Katie: Mommy! Mommy!
Jennifer: What is it, dear?
Katie: I'm hungry, mommy!
Jennifer: Okay, let me get you something from the kitchen.
(Jennifer and Katie leave as Charlie enters.)
Charlie: Hi, Kirsten.
Kirsten: Hi.
Charlie: Did you get anything to eat yet
?
Kirsten: No. I'm not that hungry.
Charlie: (nods) You look great.
Kirsten: Thanks. You, too.
Charlie: Thanks.
Kirsten: So, how are things with you and Jennifer?
Charlie: Great. She's so amazing. I am very lucky to have her.
Kirsten: Oh. Well, that's nice, Charlie. I'm glad to hear it.
Charlie: Yeah. You know, the one thing about weddings is that you can't help but think of the day you will get married.
Kirsten: Yeah, well we tried that once remember? (laughs)
Charlie: Very funny. I'm serious. I want to do it someday and the next time I won't screw it up again.
Kirsten: Really?
Charlie: I had the perfect woman and I lost her...I was too late. It was too late.
Kirsten: Charlie, it's over now. You don't have to keep apologizing to me. I know that you're a different person now and what happened in the past...well, it's the past. I better go back to the kitchen now.
Charlie: Kirsten, wait!
Kirsten: What?
(NP: "Words" by The Bee Gees. Charlie and Kirsten gaze into each other's eyes and slowly start kissing.)
Kirsten: Charlie! What are you doing?
Charlie: I've been doing some thinking...and I decided that I am in love with you.
Kirsten: What about Jennifer? I thought you said...
Charlie: I know. I love Jennifer, but I am in love with you.
Kirsten: I don't know what to say.
Charlie: How about "I am in love with you, too, Charlie?"
(Kirsten smiles and cries simultaneously as she kisses Charlie.)
Charlie: Well said. (smiles)
(They both start kissing and begin to make love.)
(Commercial break.)
(The kitchen. Jennifer and Claudia are talking.)
Claudia: Hi!
Jennifer: Hey! Claudia, have you seen Charlie?
Claudia: Yeah. He was talking to Kirsten a few minutes ago.
Jennifer: That's what I thought. Thanks.
Claudia: Well, wait, Jennifer! They were just talking. They're just friends.
Jennifer: Yeah, well, sometimes I wonder, Claudia.
Claudia: Jennifer, Charlie loves you and Katie and he would never do anything to break your heart.
Jennifer: You think so?
Claudia: I know so.
(Bailey's room. Bailey's friend, Will, comes up to visit him.)
Will: Bai!
Bailey: Hey.
Will: What are you doing up here? I know this may be news to you, but there is a wedding going on downstairs.
Bailey: I know. I just don't feel like partying right now.
Will: What's the matter?
Bailey: Sarah just broke up with this guy she's been dating.
Will: So?
Bailey: So, the thing is I love her and I am afraid to tell her.
Will: Why?
Bailey: A lot of things have happened between us, Will. Good and bad. Her parents hate me and just a few months ago she told me she wanted us to be "just friends."
Will: Well, if you really love her, Bailey, then I think you should tell her. Because keeping this stuff inside of you is only going to make you feel worse. Whether she takes you back or not, at least you tried. At least she knows how you feel.
Bailey: I know it sounds corny, but I want her, need her and love her so badly. She makes me a better person and I'd be ten times happier if she was with me again.
Will: Then why are you telling me? Why don't you tell her that?
Julia: So, you broke up with John, eh?
Sarah: Yeah. We only dated for a few weeks. Nothing special.
Julia: Well, he seemed like a really nice guy. I'm sorry, Sarah.
Sarah: It's okay. Really. I am fine.
Julia: I remember when I first started dating Griffin. After a while I just knew he was the one. Of course, all girls think that at first but then some of the guys suck and then you're screwed.
Sarah: (laughs) Yeah. I remember when me and Bailey were going out and I really thought he was the one for me.
Julia: What about now?
Sarah: (embarrassed smile) I don't know.
Julia: You don't know?
Sarah: I know that I told him I wanted us to be just friends, but I must admit that I still love him.
Julia: Really?
Sarah: Yeah. Then I remember how he treated me when he was with Callie and that is when I tell myself "Forget him, Sarah! Move on!"
Julia: I can't blame you. I love him, but Bailey screwed up big time with Callie.
Sarah: I know. I have self-respect and I don't want to be with a man who will treat me like crap, but at the same time I still love him, Julia. Not a day goes by that I don't think about him. Because deep down I know that Bailey is a good guy. I know that. But I can't take him back. It's over.
(NP: "Truly Madly Deeply" by Savage Garden. Charlie & Kirsten lie in his bed, naked.)
Charlie: Are you okay?
Kirsten: Yeah?
Charlie: Yeah?
Kirsten: Yeah.
Charlie: Did we just...?
Kirsten: I think we did.
Charlie: Oh my god! What am I going to tell Jennifer?
(There is a knock at the door.)
Claudia: Charlie?
Charlie: Yeah! Uh, what is it?
Claudia: What are you doing in there?
Charlie: I was, uh, uh...I took a nap.
Claudia: A nap?
Kirsten: Claudia, what do you want?
Claudia: Kirsten? You're in there, too?
Charlie: What is it, Claudia?
Claudia: I was just going to say that the wedding is going to start in fifteen minutes.
Charlie: Oh my god!
Kirsten: Oh my god!
(Claudia is walking downstairs and sees Julia.)
Julia: Hey, Claud! Where were you?
Claudia: Where's Jennifer?
Julia: She's with Katie in the kitchen. Why? Do you want to talk to her?
Claudia: No. I just got to tell you something in private.
Julia: Well, what is it?
Claudia: You are not going to believe this! Charlie and Kirsten are both in Charlie's room with the door locked...so you know what that means?
Julia: Oh my god. Did they...?
Claudia: Yep. I'm pretty sure they did.
Julia: I don't believe this. I thought Charlie knew better. Oh man! (sighs) I am not going to let this spoil my wedding. I just can't believe he would do this to me.
Claudia: I know.
Julia: I mean, I thought Charlie changed and now I know he hasn't changed at all.
Claudia: Well, at least he is with a woman he is in love with.
Julia: Oh, and he's not in love with Jennifer?
Claudia: No. I can just tell. He loves Jennifer, but he is in love with Kirsten.
(Jennifer starts walking upstairs to find Charlie and sees the door to his room open as Kirsten and him start kissing and laughing.)
Charlie: Jennifer!
Jennifer: Charlie! How could you do this to me?
Charlie: Jennifer, I can explain!
Jennifer: Yeah, well, I've had enough of your explanations.
(Jennifer walks off and grabs Katie by the arm.)
Jennifer: C'mon, Katie! We're getting out of here.
Katie: Where we going, mommy?
Charlie: Jennifer, please listen to me!
(Jennifer slaps Charlie.)
Jennifer: I'm through listening to you.
(Jennifer walks away from Charlie and goes over to Griffin and apologizes then leaves, but not without giving Charlie a cold stare.)
(The Salinger backyard. Sarah is sitting down as Bailey sits down next to her.)
Sarah: What's going on in there?
Bailey: They're all mad at Charlie right now.
Sarah: Can you blame them?
Bailey: No, but at least he did it with somebody he is in love with.
Sarah: Yeah, well, that still doesn't change the fact that he cheated on her, Bailey. But then I would expect you to defend him.
Bailey: What's that supposed to mean?
Sarah: Like brother, like brother. You cheated on me with Callie and he cheated on Jennifer with Kirsten.
Bailey: Now wait a second! I know I screwed up and I have apologized to you how many times? So why are you taking this out on me?
Sarah: (pauses) I don't know. I'm sorry. It's just I guess I am mad at Charlie right now, too.
Bailey: Well, he's going to be really sorry. Once again the Salinger men make another mistake by hurting the women that they love. At least he's got somebody, though.
Sarah: I don't know what to say.
Bailey: Well, maybe you will after you read this. (takes the poem out of his pocket and gives it to Sarah)
Sarah: What is this?
Bailey: Open it.
Sarah: Bailey!
Bailey: Open it, Sarah!
(Sarah opens the poem and starts reading it. Within a few seconds she is overwhelmed with emotion and starts to cry a little bit.)
Bailey: Well, what did you think?
Sarah: It's beautiful, but it's too late, Bailey. You had your chance and you blew it.
Bailey: Sarah, c'mon! I love you!
Sarah: How do you expect me to take you back after all that you've done to me? I mean, you cheated on me, verbally abused me and nearly got me killed. What do you expect me to do? Give me one reason to take you back.
Bailey: You still love me.
Sarah: (cries) I do love you, Bailey, but it's over. Okay? It's over.
(Sarah walks off as Bailey stands in shock with tears in his eyes.)
(Commercial break.)
(Julia's bedroom. Julia is talking to Charlie and Kirsten in private.)
Julia: Will you two explain to me why in the hell you are trying to destroy my wedding?
Charlie: We're not. Things just happened and we just ended up making love.
Julia: Oh? And that's it, huh? Kirsten, do you have anything you'd like to add?
Kirsten: We're very sorry, Julia. We really are. It's just Charlie and I rediscovered our feelings for each other and we both know now that we are meant for each other.
Julia: Really?
Charlie: Yeah. I know that I screwed up in the past and I screwed up today, too, but I have been in love with Kirsten for so long and I know now that she is the woman I want to spend the rest of my life with.
Julia: Wow. So you asked her to marry you, Charlie?
Charlie: Yeah, and she said, "Yes".
Kirsten: That's right.
Julia: Oh my god! Congratulations! (hugs Charlie and Kirsten) So when are you guys getting married?
Charlie: (looks at Kirsten then at Julia) Well, how does a double wedding sound to you?
Julia: You mean today?
(The Salinger backyard. Bailey is sitting down as Will approaches him.)
Will: Hey, man, you're missing out on some great stuff! You should try the shrimp. It's excellent.
Bailey: I'm not hungry.
Will: What's the matter, Bai? You look like you've been crying. Is it Sarah?
Bailey: She doesn't want me, Will. She says she loves me and then she tells me that it is over. So, that's it, Will. It's over.
Will: I'm sorry, man.
(Claudia enters.)
Claudia: You guys are not going to believe this!
Will: What?
Claudia: We're going to have a double wedding!
Will & Bailey: (in unison) What?
(The wedding begins. "Grow Old With Me" by Mary Chapin-Carpenter plays throughout the scene. We see Julia and Griffin dressed in formal wedding attire. Meanwhile, Charlie and Kirsten are dressed in formal attire, but not of the wedding variety. Charlie has a black suit on and Kirsten is wearing one of Julia's dresses.)
Charlie: I'd like to call for a toast! To Griffin and Julia, may you two be happily married for the rest of your lives! To Kirsten, my wife, I look forward to spending the next fifty or more years with you.
(Everyone laughs and toasts.)
Julia: Hey, where's Sarah?
Claudia: I don't know. I saw her earlier in the kitchen.
(Sarah is seen crying in the kitchen. She wipes her tears with a handkerchief, but continues to cry.)
Julia: Sarah! What's the matter?
Sarah: I'm sorry, Julia, but I can't stay here for much longer.
Julia: Why not? What's wrong?
Sarah: It's Bailey! He gave me this poem and told me how much he loved me and I want to take him back, but I can't. I can't do it, Julia! If I take him back, then I'm basically saying "Go ahead and cheat on me, lie to me and I won't care." He said these horrible things to me and did these horrible things...and he expects me to take him back. Why?
Julia: Well, probably because you still love him, Sarah. And I know how bad Bailey was, and alcohol is no excuse for what he did, but that was not my brother either. I know Bailey. I've lived with him a lot longer than you have and my brother is a great guy with a big heart who practically raised us after our parents died. When Charlie was out screwing around and slacking off, Bailey took charge of this family and made sure we didn't go without food, water, clothes or money. That's my brother. The same guy you fell in love with and still are in love with, Sarah. And don't deny it either because you know it's true.
Sarah: I know.
Julia: So what are you going to do now?
(Commercial break.)
(Everyone is leaving the wedding and shaking hands with the Salinger family. Bailey is walking to the porch when he sees Sarah sitting there.)
Bailey: Hey.
Sarah: Hey.
Bailey: What are you doing here?
Sarah: Just sitting here.
Bailey: No. I mean, I thought you left?
Sarah: Me? No. I had to do some thinking and I had to get away from all of this for awhile.
Bailey: All of what?
Sarah: The wedding. It made me think of the time that Kirsten and Charlie were going to marry, but Charlie backed out at the last minute. I remember that we got back together that day...and you kissed me right at this spot.
Bailey: I remember. You know, just watching you sitting there makes me want to kiss you now. I want to hold you and kiss you, but I don't know if I can do that. Can I do that?
Sarah: (shakes her head) Just let me say what I have to say, okay?
Bailey: (nods) Okay.
Sarah: You're right, Bailey. I am still in love with you and have been for quite some time, but I can't forget the way you treated me. You hurt me, Bailey. You cheated on me and you lied to me, and though I might find a way to forgive you someday, I can never forget that happened.
Bailey: I know and I am sorry.
Sarah: I am willing to try one more time, Bailey. I will give you one more chance, but don't you think that I'm going to let you walk all over me or treat me like you did before. I need you to promise me that you will be totally committed.
Bailey: Sarah, I swear to God that I will never hurt you again.
Sarah: Oh no. I want you to get on your knees.
(Bailey kneels down.)
Bailey: Sarah, I beg you to please take me back because I am so in love with you and I love you. I will never hurt you again for as long as I live. Will you please be my girlfriend again?
Sarah: (smirks) Maybe.
Bailey: Maybe? What the hell is that? Maybe?
Sarah: (laughs) C'mere!
(Bailey walks over to Sarah as she pulls him close to her and kisses him.)
(Charlie and Kirsten are in the kitchen.)
Kirsten: What a day, huh?
Charlie: Yeah. This morning I had a girlfriend named Jennifer and tonight I have a wife named Kirsten. (laughs) Weird.
Kirsten: I am really happy, Charlie. I have waited for this moment for so long, you know.
Charlie: The wait is over. (kisses Kirsten) You know what?
Kirsten: What?
Charlie: I've been thinking...when did you want to start having kids?
Kirsten: (smiles) What made you think of that?
Charlie: (smiles) I don't know. I just thought about it and I would like Owen to have somebody to play with and I really want us to have kids, Kirsten.
Kirsten: Me too. You don't mind if we have to adopt then?
Charlie: No. I don't mind at all.
Kirsten: (smiles) Great. I would love us to have kids, Charlie, but for now let's just enjoy this moment together.
(Charlie and Kirsten kiss as "Calico Skies" by Paul McCartney plays. We see Julia and Griffin on an airplane preparing for their honeymoon. They soon fall asleep in each other's arms.)
(Closing credits.)
(Commercial break.)
(Scenes from the next "Party Of Five" show the family eating Thanksgiving dinner. Everyone is having a good time until there is a knock at the door and Charlie answers. He then sees Grandpa Jake and is surprised. Julia and Griffin are enjoying their honeymoon in Europe until they are mugged. Finally, Bailey and Sarah are seen kissing and making love.)
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