I never used to take it slow
Now I feel the air
And take the long way home
This place is all I've ever known
No longer scared of the open road
'Cause tonight is our night is our night
To be wild and free
We could take on the world,
We could be anything
Are you in? Are you out?
Are you coming with me?
Let's take on our fears from the start
'Cause we're wild at heart
We're wild at heart
We're running wild and free,
Be who we want to be
We're wild at heart
We're wild...
Nice. Nice!
Okay, let's get you a little bit more...
about there. You look great.
Okay, folks. Let's hold it right there.
Oh...
I gotta take this.
No, you promised.
- It's work.
- Yeah, it's tradition.
It's August!
I don't get the rush!
Well, we have to send out the Christmas
cards the first week of December,
and we only have Luke for another day
before he goes to college.
You guys could just Photoshop me in.
That's perfect. Hold it.
And big smiles.
Love that. And over here.
- Awesome.
- There you go. We good?
Yeah.
We're good.
Yeah. I am in the car.
Can you just hold a sec?
- What's Nelson's wife's name again?
- Terry.
- Terry.
- And Lola's in law school,
and Jake just got married.
Mm-hm.
Yeah, Lola a lawyer,
and Jake just married?
Hey, have a good day, guys.
So that's it, huh?
Tomorrow you've got an empty nest.
Yes. And I was thinking, you know,
with Luke out of the house,
maybe I should go back to work.
Well, you always did love
being a vet.
Who says you've gotta re-enter
the workforce anyway?
Well, I do!
I mean, what else am I gonna do?
You're doing it.
But I'm just eating lunch.
To us.
The ladies who lunch.
- The ladies who lunch.
- Thank you.
You guys, don't ever call us that again.
Come on.
Trunk's almost full.
This is the last load.
Did you pack your toothbrush?
I did.
Toothpaste, too, Mom.
Thanks so much for letting me drive him.
Aw.
I'm sure you have a lot to talk about.
And you be careful on the road, okay?
We will.
- You good to go, kiddo?
- Yup! We're outta here!
Whoa, whoa, whoa!
You promised.
This is the last time, though.
Oh, come on!
Surely it's not the last time!
You're so tall.
It's gonna be okay, Mom.
Remember what you used to tell me,
that I could be
an astronaut,
or the president of the United States?
Well, how's that supposed to happen
if I stay here?
It's just something that
parents tell their children.
Come on.
Let him get on the road
before it gets dark.
Love you, Pops.
Get good grades,
and next summer you'll intern at the firm.
Okay.
Okay, so we are gonna
FaceTime everyday, right?
Once a week. I love you guys.
And don't forget to eat.
I'll eat, I'll breathe,
I'll even wear a sweater.
Don't worry.
Mom, I'm gonna be okay.
I know you'll be okay,
I just... I love you so much.
I love you, too.
Bye.
And just like that...
it's an empty nest.
So,
I have a proposal.
Since it's just us now,
and I know we haven't been spending
a lot of time alone,
and I know things aren't great,
so I booked us
to go on our second honeymoon.
- Kate...
- To Africa!
Look, I... I waited until Luke was gone
because I didn't want to upset him...
Why? What's wrong?
Are you sick?
No.
Are you happy?
Um...
I'm not... I'm not unhappy.
That's not the same thing.
- Well, no one's happy all the time.
- Kate...
I'm not in love with you anymore.
And I'm pretty sure you feel the same.
I'm moving out.
What?
I'll be at the Carlyle
if you need to reach me.
I don't understand, I don't understand.
Are you involved with someone else?
No.
So,
you're just leaving me
like this with... with no discussion?
We had a lot of good years.
I think in the long run,
you'll see this is better for both of us.
I'll send for my things.
- Hey!
- Hey!
And... Mr. Conrad?
- Just me.
- Okay, let's go.
Thank you.
Thank you, sir.
Mm!
Left foot, left, right,
Gonna do this for me
You've got to live your best life
Set your spirit free
Feel it in every part of me
It's in the air...
And here we are.
What's this?
Dinner for two.
It's part of the meal plan.
Could I have another one of these, please?
- Yes, ma'am.
- Thank you.
- Making me feel all right
- Hey, gorgeous.
- How're ya doing?
- Derek, welcome back.
My friend, the usual?
Rafi!
Thanks.
You ready for poker?
- I hope you bring cash this time.
- My IOU's aren't good enough anymore?
Why are you asking questions
you're afraid of the answer to?
Thank you!
Studying hard?
Mm-hm.
That's no way to vacation.
I like to be prepared.
Eating alone?
Yes.
Alone is good.
Also guarantees the best company.
Let me guess...
LA?
No.
Hm.
New York?
Yes.
I knew it.
What does that mean?
No, you're just very...
Put together!
Okay, thank you.
I guess.
Oh, it's Mr. and Mrs. Conrad.
Um. Actually... Actually, no.
I take it Mr. Conrad
won't be joining us?
Nope.
Jet lag.
- No.
- Business call?
No.
What, did he fall down a well?
Do you actually want to know
where Mr. Conrad is?
- Uh...
- Two days ago,
he told me that our marriage was over.
Two hours ago, I landed here
on what was supposed to be
our second honeymoon, by myself.
In two weeks,
I will be in a lawyer's office,
trying to get back the decades I spent
putting him through grad school,
raising our son,
entertaining his clients, and somehow
becoming one of the ladies who lunch.
Is there anything else
that you would like to know?
I was just wondering if
you were gonna eat all that food
Start to move my feet
- Thank you!
- Feel it in the air
Every part of you
It's in the air you breathe
You have lost your touch, my friend!
You're starting to believe
Housekeeping!
Someone in the room?
Thank you.
Thanks, ma'am.
Oh.
You're coming on this, too?
Yup.
But I thought it was supposed to be a...
Luxury couples safari.
Complete with air transport.
- Oh, you're the pilot.
- For today.
Who is Kirk?
Captain Kirk.
From Star Trek.
Because we do boldly go
where no tourist has gone before.
Derek Holliston.
Two L's, in case you want
to write my name down on a complaint form.
- Okay.
- All right, Mrs. Conrad.
Oh.
Oh, it's... it's Ms. Conrad.
You know, Kate's just fine.
Kate.
Is that short for Katherine?
Just Kate.
So I thought it was good luck
to name your plane after a woman.
Actually it's a woman you love.
Truth is, this one was already named
"Kira" when I got her,
so I only had to paint over one letter.
It's about a 40-minute flight.
to the lodge.
Don't let the name "lodge" fool you.
You'll be surrounded by five-star luxury.
Lusaka traffic,
Cessna Mike India Alpha, East tie-down,
departing runway 35, Lusaka.
Clear for takeoff.
We're flying over the oldest and largest
game Reserve in Africa,
home of the big five.
Lion, leopard, rhino,
cape buffalo, elephant.
Oh. Two o'clock, buffalo.
Wow.
Some people say it's the most
dangerous animal out here.
But it's not.
What is?
We are.
Hang on a minute.
I'm gonna make a stop.
Wait, what? A stop? Where?
What are we doing?
I need you to stay in the plane.
Stay here?
What if you don't come back?
I'll come back.
- It's Derek. You read me?
- Yes.
We have an orphan five kilometers
southwest of N'goma.
You'll find us just north of where
I landed the airplane. We'll need a truck.
What happened?
Poachers.
Killed the mama for tusks.
If we don't do something to help
that baby, he'll be dead in two days.
Take off your shirt.
What?
You wanna help or not?
I need you to talk to him,
stay right in front of him,
keep his attention.
Hey, hey!
It's gonna be okay.
All right? Just be calm.
It's gonna be all right.
You're very brave.
Don't be scared. Everything's fine.
Everything's gonna be okay.
We gotta get him on his side,
so he doesn't charge us. I got this.
- Let me help!
- I've got it.
Oh!
Okay. I'll keep him calm,
get some water out of my backpack.
It's okay.
Here you go.
Here, baby. Drink up, sweetheart.
Let's wet down his ears.
He needs to know
that we're here to help him.
All this for ivory?
Nobody in the world needs ivory,
except an elephant.
Okay! Slow, slow, slow!
- Careful, gentle!
- Going up.
Is he okay?
What's going to happen to him?
We'll take him back to the shelter
and nurse him back to health.
We didn't have great luck
with the last one,
but he looks like
he's in a little better shape.
All right.
Let's get you to the lodge.
You'll be sipping martinis
before sunset.
I'm going with him.
Listen, I know this is very emotional,
but there's nothing you can do.
But I'm a vet!
I haven't practiced in a while,
and I mostly worked on dogs and cats,
but I really want to help.
What do you know about elephants?
Almost nothing.
Jonathan.
Kate.
Didn't see that one coming.
It's gonna be okay.
It's gonna be all right, little baby.
Right?
Yeah. Straight.
Is he gonna be okay?
He's in shock.
The grief of losing his family.
What can I do to help?
We have to make sure
that he's hydrated and stays warm.
Okay.
We'll get this
into his ear right here.
Here's some tape.
Tape...
Right.
Should I open?
Open.
Okay.
- Is it going?
- Yeah.
If he doesn't get up in a day's time,
he probably never will.
We try and replicate life in the herd.
Each baby has a keeper,
making sure they are never alone.
We also trade off, so the calves
don't get too attached to one person,
and vice versa.
When the elephants are ready
to leave the nursery,
they spend their nights there,
and at their own pace,
which sometimes does take years,
they gradually make the transition
back into the wild.
And these are our living quarters,
but most of us prefer
to sleep with the elephants.
How do the older elephants
react to the babies you rescue?
I'll show you.
Kalama! Olare!
Chuma!
Right now we have three babies,
four teenagers and three adults.
Everybody!
This is Dr. Kate.
- Hello!
- Hi!
Bwanji!
That is Chuma.
She's practicing
to be a matriarch.
- Wow.
- Come on, Chuma! Move, move!
She's very curious and very bossy.
Well, Chuma,
you have some New York in you!
Elephants have all the emotions
of humans.
A sense of humor and a sense of family.
The children want attention,
and the teenagers rebel.
Come. It's almost suppertime
for the little ones.
Okay.
This is it.
We feed the babies
separately from the adults.
That's Kasewe. We rescued him last week.
And that's Multisani.
Oh, my gosh.
Amazing.
He's our oldest toddler.
Very demanding.
Why don't you get some rest?
This way.
The first tent on the end is yours,
and we take supper in the boma.
Hey, New York.
Oh.
Sorry,
Jonathan said the tent on the end.
The other end.
This one's mine.
You mean,
you live here, like, all the time?
Yeah, I fly the tourists
to help us pay for the plane.
Oh, I put your suitcase in your tent.
Forgive the mess.
I'm not very good at folding.
Kinda opened up
when I threw it on the bed.
- So you just went through my stuff?
- No.
But I don't think you're gonna need
those high heels here.
All right.
Oh, zip the tent, please.
I don't want any more visitors.
I'm not coming back!
- I meant the baboons.
- Oh.
No, no, no, no.
Tell him that Leslie Van Der Mere-Jones
called, exclamation point!
Hey.
Hey!
Hey.
- These are beautiful!
- Come on, grab a plate.
This is good!
Great, 'cause we're having it tomorrow.
And if you stay long enough,
the day after that, the day after that,
and the day after that.
Why'd you quit?
Quit what?
Being a vet.
I don't know.
I didn't really mean to, but...
I guess...
I guess life just happened.
So you supported your husband
through school,
helped him build his business,
raised the kid, and then
he left you?
Did I tell you all that?
Yeah.
And a lot about the ladies who lunch.
The thing about elephants...
they read your soul.
So you never get
any of those type of surprises.
You don't wake up one day
and someone doesn't love you anymore.
Well, clearly,
I'm with the wrong species.
Aren't we all?
Mind if I have that?
Be my guest.
Mm!
Ugh.
I thought Africa was known
for its good coffee.
It is.
That isn't it.
Your first time
under the southern sky?
Yeah.
There's Sirius, Canopis...
Alpha Centauri.
Tourist guidebook?
Amateur astronomer's reference book.
We have a telescope at home
because Luke really loved it
until he fell in love with music.
How far away is that?
About five kilometers.
What keeps them
from coming into camp?
The night watchman.
Ah...
All right.
Good night, New York.
Good night.
Midnight stroll?
Are you everywhere?
Yup, tonight's my shift
with the orphans.
I was worried about him.
Here, make yourself comfortable.
Oh.
Next time,
don't walk alone out there. It's not safe.
I mean, it's safe, but not so safe.
Especially for a tourist.
Thanks, I guess.
You're up.
You're up!
You have made me
the happiest woman in the world!
Thank you! I hear that a lot.
Thank you!
Look!
Welcome back, little man.
I think we're gonna need more milk.
Thirty-five pints a day.
Wow.
Derek, you got a pick-up
from the lodge. Private tour.
I'm on my way.
Take good care of my elephant.
Our elephant!
He's really hungry. So beautiful.
Nice to see you on your feet, young man!
It appears that you have brought us
good luck.
I did nothing. I did nothing.
Hm.
I think this little calf would disagree.
Aw...
This is the biggest baby I've ever fed,
definitely bigger than the last one.
Oh, you have children?
I do. I have a son.
Then we shall call this one Manu.
Manu?
It means second son.
Aw.
Oh, Manu, I hope you like
your new name!
How long have you lived with them?
My whole life, really.
I grew up on the reserve.
Derek, too, pretty much.
He moved here when he was 16.
Our fathers were game wardens together.
He's like my annoying brother.
I wish I could stay longer.
Of course, Dr. Kate.
Oh, you know what?
No one really calls me that.
Did you not earn the title?
I did.
The local vet comes around
once a month, if we're lucky.
So, you're Dr. Kate.
Okay!
On my way, on my way
On my way
On my way
I would like to reach out my hand
I may see you, I may tell you to run
On my way, on my way
You know what they say about the young
Well pick me up with golden hand
I may see you, I may tell you to run
On my way, on my way
You know what they say about the young
Well, I would like to hold
My little hand
And we will run, we will,
We will crawl, we will...
I would like to hold my little hand
And we will run, we will,
We will crawl...
I would like to reach out my hand
I may see you, I may tell you to run
On my way, on my way
You know what they say about the young
Now pick me up with golden hand
I may see you, I may tell you to run
On my way, on my way
You know what they say about the young
Well, I would like to hold
My little hand...
...and we will crawl, we will...
Good morning, Manu!
Oh, yes, yes, I know.
You're hungry for your milk.
I'll go get it.
- Good morning, Jonathan!
- Good morning, Dr. Kate. Shift change.
Okay.
Um...
You know, I could stay a little longer.
Better not. We don't want him missing you.
You are leaving tomorrow.
Wait, tomorrow?
Your return ticket
is for September 28th, right?
Yeah. That's tomorrow?
Time flies when you're out here.
Lookin' at your fancy African vacay pics?
No.
Ah. Last Christmas?
This Christmas.
It was supposed to be our Christmas card.
Hence the staged glamour of it all.
Now you're an art critic.
Listen, I was thinking.
Since you're leaving,
and you didn't get to go on
your fancy five-star safari,
let me take you on one.
With... a little less stars.
- What are we talking, like, three?
- Mm...
Thinking more like two.
But with the value of five.
Well, okay.
- Wow.
- Right?
Here we are.
It's beautiful!
You're the artist.
These are really good!
Well, thank you.
Keeps me outta trouble.
- Sometimes I come out here to paint.
- Mm-hm.
Sometimes I just come here.
- Falling in love?
- Hm?
With Africa.
So...
the orphans...
Mm-hm...
...when they're old enough,
- will start mingling with the wild herd.
- Mm.
And then they might start staying out
for one or two nights at a time.
- Like a sleepover?
- Yeah.
Pretty much like that.
Chuma over there has been wandering off.
One night she's just gonna decide
she's not coming home,
and from that time on,
she'll be a wild elephant again.
- Don't you get sad when they leave?
- I used to.
But they're meant to live in the wild.
It's the empty nest syndrome.
I guess it's everywhere.
My son just left for college.
Mm.
The real wild.
Mm-hm.
In a dorm room one state over,
but definitely wild.
Just because we don't see them
doesn't mean that they're not
still a part of us.
And us them.
Did you ever want kids?
I did.
But it wasn't in the cards.
How long have you been divorced?
Actually, she died.
Oh.
I'm so sorry.
No, it's okay.
It's been 15 years.
Another lifetime ago.
She had a gallery in town.
And then she got ill,
and when she passed...
I came back home.
Isn't it funny?
When you first get married,
you think, "Well, that's it.
Everything is just gonna be fine now."
Little do we know.
Now I've gotta go back home, and I don't
know what I'm supposed to do with myself.
Maybe you're doing it here.
Taking a second honeymoon with myself?
Who better?
Hey, Luke! Can you see me?
Hi, Mom. How are you?
I'm good. How are you? How's school?
Great.
How's safari?
Safari so good.
Wait, where are you?
Well, I took a little detour,
and now I'm in this place
surrounded by wild animals.
Me, too.
Hey, go long! Go long!
All right!
And finally,
I have
chapati with tomato and goat cheese,
a.k.a. New York thin crust pizza.
Now this makes me
wanna be a lady who lunches.
And I just wanna say to all of you,
thank you,
because these last few weeks have meant
more to me than you can ever know.
And women, just like elephants,
always remember.
So even though I'm gonna be far away,
I want you to know that
I'm never gonna forget any of you.
Asante Sana!
[all[ Asante Sana!
Thank you.
You really have a telescope
on the 15th floor?
Yup.
What do you see?
The flickering lights
of about a million TVs.
- Sounds exciting.
- Yeah.
Come on. I wanna show you something.
Oh, I've already seen your tent.
I think you were looking at
more than the tent.
Mm-hm!
So, when you're at home,
you can look through your telescope
at all the fabulous televisions,
but tonight...
you're gonna look at this.
Okay.
- Wow.
- Right?
I mean, it's... it's amazing.
Knock, knock! Derek!
This is Leslie Van Der Mere-Jones.
She's with the foundation
that keeps us afloat.
We've met.
And this is Kate. The...
- The...
- Tourist who's still here.
There's a lot to see.
Apparently.
Well, it's late so I'm just
going to head back to my tent.
I'll walk you back.
No, I know the way.
I'll wait.
Sorry about that.
I never met someone with five last names.
It's complicated.
Your tent's a busy place.
Now hang on!
No, it's fine.
It's on me. I just should've
stuck with my first impression.
Which was?
You're lonely but you don't know it,
so you just use all your thing
to get what you need in the moment
and you don't think about anybody else.
Good talk.
Hey, Manu!
Oh...
I love you, too!
Mwah!
Well, someone doesn't want you
to leave.
I know.
And so it begins.
How long does it take her to pack?
- She's not going.
- What do you mean?
She's in love.
She told you that?
Don't flatter yourself. It's not you.
He has a gray trunk, weighs 600 pounds
and he has a drinking problem.
Yeah, I guess I never saw that coming.
Dear Luke, I know I've exceeded
my weekly FaceTime allotment,
so I'm writing this email to tell you that
I have decided to stay out here
a little longer.
I love you.
Mom.
Santa's coming to town, town
And he's bringing joy
For all the kids around, 'round
Santa's coming to town, town
And he's bringing joy
For all the kids around, 'round
Oh, Christmas, where've you gone?
We've missed you
What took you so long?
I needed you
And now that you're here...
Hi, sweetheart!
Oh, Christmas, where've you gone?
We've missed you
Hi, little baby!
How are you today?
Are you ready for your check-up?
Good! Here I come.
Come on. It's Christmas week!
Our families are almost here.
Cheer up!
- Hey, Jonathan!
- Dr. Kate!
Is your family here yet?
No, not yet.
But you will hear them.
They are very loud.
I can't wait to meet them.
One day maybe we can meet
your family, too.
Oh, that would be nice,
but my son is gonna stay at college
this year with his friends.
Dr. Kate, I realize that you're away
from your family this Christmas,
but I want you
to know that you're a part of ours now.
Thanks, Jonathan.
Hello, my beautiful little princesses!
Daddy!
How are you? Ah.
Go say hi to Uncle Derek.
Uncle Derek!
You guys have gotten so big.
And you are a giant!
I'm too heavy!
Hey, I wrestle elephants for a living.
You're just a little rabbit to me.
Dr. Kate,
this is my wife, Aliyah.
Hi! Jonathan has written much about you.
So nice to finally meet you.
Oh, is that Dr. Kate?
I'm Lulu, and this is my sister, Nia.
Merry Christmas, Dr. Kate!
Oh, you guys are adorable!
Let's get some treats! Let's go!
- Hi, Derek!
- Good to see you! How are you?
- Good. And you?
- Good, good.
Now you can look at this.
Ooh, I see this is a tent.
This is a rhino.
What's that?
A warthog!
Mm...
- Who are these?
- Oh, this one is you.
- Oh!
- And this one is Uncle Derek.
I see.
Well, I like it,
but there's just one problem.
Is that handsome fellow
supposed to be me?
And why is he missing a hand?
It's a secret!
A Christmas delivery for you.
- From you.
- Ah.
Well, it isn't actually for me.
Well, you know, maybe just a little bit.
Boys'll love it.
I see you've done this before.
Only about twice a day
for the last 20 years.
That's 14,000 cups of coffee.
Oh...
He does math, too.
Thank you a latte.
Oh.
You have a letter.
- Mm?
- From So-and-so and So-and-so Partners.
Oh, and did you read it, too?
No, the envelope was too thick.
Hm. Does not look like a Christmas card.
Mr. Conrad is filing for divorce.
I'm sorry.
I'm gonna go see my elephant.
Our elephant.
He seems to be doing fine.
You know, I always wanted more animals,
but Drew didn't want pet hair
on his clothes.
I mean,
I just should've seen this coming. I...
It's just change.
Without change,
there would be no butterflies.
Who said that?
Someone should've said it.
Hey,
it's gonna be okay.
But is it?
I gotta go check on those cookies.
What?
It's the holidays.
Yeah. Of course.
The holidays.
What's wrong?!
- Manu's gone.
- What?
Chuma must've opened the gate somehow,
Manu followed.
Probably looking for the herd.
But he's too young.
- I'll fly out first light to look for him.
- First light is too late.
We have to go now.
I can't fly at night.
Chuma will take care of him.
- They'll take care of each other.
- You don't know that.
Sometimes you gotta let them wander.
It's their world out there.
But he's still just a baby.
Anything could happen.
All right. Come on.
Really?
Wait, what are you doing?
Why are we stopping?
We've been at this for a while.
Need to get some sleep.
Here?
It's as good a place as any.
But shouldn't we keep looking for them?
We will.
At first light.
I lost Luke one time in a shopping mall.
Christmas time.
But you found him.
So it all worked out.
Yeah, but there weren't
any poachers in that mall.
We will find them.
Are you sure?
Yes.
Now you get some sleep.
Oh, my God!
Roi?
Roi!
Happy holidays, old friend!
Looks like you put on some pounds.
Give or take a thousand.
Was smaller than Manu when I found him.
We didn't think he'd make it.
How long have you known him?
What's it been, Roi?
Nine, almost ten years?
I remember once
Jonathan's father walked into the park,
an elephant came out of the bush
to greet him.
It'd been 37 years
since they'd seen each other.
All right, buddy.
Don't be a stranger.
Bye!
It was so nice to meet you!
Hope to see you again!
Hey, Derek, good news.
The rangers spotted our elephants.
They're at that pond south of Kadma.
I'm on the way.
There!
Now this is a merry Christmas Eve!
Hey, Derek.
Got a last-minute pick-up for ya.
Come on back.
Copy.
Duty calls.
Ooh, that smells so good.
Well, it's not Christmas in Africa
without goat stew.
- Ah!
- And the key...
The peppers.
Color and flavor.
You know, Kate...
It's a well-known fact that
a man cannot resist a good goat stew.
I hear your friend Derek
loves a good goat stew.
- He and I, we're... we're just friends.
- Hm.
Seriously, we're only friends.
- Dr. Kate!
- Yes?
- Derek needs you at the air strip.
- Why? Is he okay?
He's fine.
But it is important.
Excuse me.
I picked you up a little holiday cheer
for Christmas Eve.
Really?
Merry Christmas, Mom!
Luke!
I can't believe you're here!
Figured I'd check on you,
make sure you're wearing a sweater.
Oh!
Jonathan, this is Luke!
Pleasure to meet Dr. Kate's first son.
"Dr. Kate"?
And I'm her only son.
Her only human son.
What are you even doing here?
Dad got me a ticket.
- He did?
- Mm-hm.
What about that music festival?
Yeah, we had to drop out.
My finals schedule screwed everything up.
I'm sorry.
All right, I'm gonna take this stuff
back to the tent,
so you guys can catch up.
Next time you fly, one hand on the yoke.
Wait! You let him fly?
He didn't crash.
Please tell me he's kidding.
He let me push a few levers.
Seems like a nice guy.
Are you ready?
All right.
- This is Multisani.
- Oh, my gosh.
This is Makaliwa.
And then over here,
I wanted to name this one Sadie.
- She does kinda look like Grandma.
- Right?
O little town of Bethlehem
How still we see thee lie
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
- The silent stars go by
- Yeah!
There you go!
Thank you!
You know, I haven't seen you do that
in a long time.
Do what?
Let someone in.
If I've learned anything here,
it's to not get too attached.
Not everything has to end badly.
It's not gonna end,
'cause it never really started.
Ooh!
She hasn't left yet.
She will.
They always do.
Okay, everyone,
let's take a picture together.
Let's take a Christmas picture!
Get together!
Come together, okay?
On three, everyone say Merry Christmas,
all right?
Ready?
Smoosh in!
One, two, three!
Merry Christmas!
I think I just found
next year's Christmas card.
That beats the one we took in August.
It certainly does.
Well, it was really nice of your father
to send you.
How's he doing?
He's okay, I guess.
Got an apartment near the office.
What's he doing for Christmas?
The usual, working,
schmoozing clients. All that fun stuff.
Hm...
You know, I get why
you don't want to come back.
Honey, I'm coming back.
Mom, it's okay.
You and Dad
never really liked the same things.
But we liked you.
The truth is, I'm surprised
you stayed together as long as you did.
- Was it that bad?
- No,
it wasn't bad. It was just...
Remember when we brought home that
stray dog, and Dad made us give him away?
Well, now you get to keep that stray dog.
Only it's an elephant.
What are you painting?
Oh.
Reindeer.
Reindeer?
Yeah, you know, Comet, Cupid, Blixen.
I don't usually let people
peek at my doodles.
Until they're done.
Many times, even after they're done.
Please.
Okay.
Um...
It's actually Blitzen, not Blixen.
- Really?
- Yeah.
It's Rudolph, Dasher, Dancer,
Prancer, Vixen,
Comet, Cupid, Donner, Blitzen.
They teach you that in vet school?
Yeah. Advanced course.
Merry Christmas Eve.
- What is it?
- Eggnog.
African eggnog.
Or whiskey.
Yeah, I've heard it called that.
I like your boy.
I don't usually say that about humans.
And it hasn't gone unnoticed.
And while we're in the Christmas spirit,
I should say that it hasn't been
completely awful having you here either.
You know,
you're really not as terrible
as I thought you were at first.
I'll take that compliment.
Mm! Mm...
You know what that is?
What?
Mistletoe.
That is most definitely
- not mistletoe.
- That is African mistletoe.
And even though we're in Africa,
we still celebrate the same worldwide
mistletoe traditions.
Maybe next year.
I'll be here.
Okay.
Good night.
Good night, New York.
- So, how's school?
- Eh.
You know, Freshman year
is always a huge adjustment.
I'm sure it's going to get better.
Eh.
I guess.
- How's Olivia?
- Huh?
- Your girlfriend!
- Right.
Yeah, it's been a bit rough
with the distance.
Oh.
I don't mean to pry, but...
Mom,
please...
Please tell me
those aren't what I think they are.
Of course they are!
How else am I supposed to measure
an elephant?
Come here. I'm so happy you're here.
Me, too.
It's the best Christmas present ever.
Hey! Are you still Christmas shopping?
Is there anything else?
I'm having Christmas lunch
with Tabitha.
Why aren't you with us?
I just could not face
that empty apartment for the holidays.
Isn't Luke coming home?
You'll never guess what happened.
He's here with me!
He flew in yesterday to surprise me!
Seriously?
This year, it's gonna be
Christmas in Africa.
And what is Christmas in Africa?
Well, I can't speak for
the whole continent,
but here at the elephant orphanage,
they celebrate all week,
and there's no shopping involved.
What about presents?
Home-made.
Sounds terrifying.
- You are coming home right?
- Yeah,
of course I'm coming back.
When?
Well, you know what they say here?
they say, "When the time is right."
Okay. Now I'm really starting to worry.
Wow. Christmas day in Africa.
Time goes so slowly out here.
I'm proud of you, Mom.
Thank you, honey!
I'm so proud of you, too!
Well, I hope you still feel that way
after I tell you what I'm gonna tell you.
What?
It's about school.
I'm really not into the business major.
That's okay.
What do you want to study?
Now, see, that's not exactly it.
I'm not going back.
What?
College is a waste of time for me.
I wanna make music.
That's what I'm passionate about.
And please don't say anything to Dad,
I haven't told him yet.
Honey,
you cannot just drop out of college.
Well, you left for Africa with no return
date, and look at you! You're happy!
But that's totally different.
Yeah, because I'm not waiting
20 years to do what I really wanna do.
You left the party!
Well, my kid kinda got me
out of the Christmas spirit.
Oh. He's leaving tomorrow.
Why don't you wait till then to miss him?
The problem is that he just announced
that he's going to drop out of school,
play in a band, move in with his friends,
and then write his own music in Starbucks.
Isn't that how The Beatles started?
You don't understand!
You don't even have kids!
I'm sorry.
I'm just...
I'm terrible company. I'm gonna go to bed.
See ya in the morning.
All right, I want you
to think about what I said, okay?
I love you, Mom,
but I'm not changing my mind.
- I love you so much.
- I love you, too.
I'll text you when I land in Newark.
Okay.
Don't worry.
I'll keep your boy safe.
You better.
Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright
Round yon Virgin, Mother and Child
Holy infant so tender and mild
Sleep in heavenly peace
Sleep in heavenly peace
Silent night, holy night
All is calm, all is bright...
Hi. Just checking on you.
Hey. Come on in.
I wouldn't worry about Luke.
He's a good kid. He's gonna be fine.
I just feel guilty, you know?
I feel like I should've
been there for him.
But I was here.
So it's time, huh?
I never meant to stay this long.
You can't run away forever.
So they tell me.
I...
I know. You're gonna miss me.
- That's not even what I was gonna say.
- Oh, you're not gonna miss me?
Shut up.
It's okay,
'cause I'm gonna miss you.
A lot.
Hi.
Merry Merry.
I was going to surprise you
with a Christmas present,
but now I'm not so sure.
I don't think I've seen you
paint anything but scenery.
Thought I'd give something else a try.
How's that turning out for you?
She's leaving.
So I guess not very well.
People come to see the animals,
and then they go home.
I thought you knew that.
Come to Cape Town with me.
We'll see out the holidays there.
Whatever this is we've been doing...
I can't do it anymore.
I'm sorry.
Well, I regret to inform you
that the board has decided to terminate
funding as of the new year.
Don't do this.
This isn't about us.
This is about the elephants.
It's not about the bloody elephants
for me.
All right then.
- Jonathan will drive you.
- Oh. You're not gonna...
I have some tourists I have to fly out.
Okay.
Well, you'd better be nice
to those tourists,
'cause you just don't know
how they're gonna turn out.
I don't know what to say.
I think that's a first.
We could FaceTime.
I'm not really a FaceType.
Yeah.
Hey, New York.
If you come back here, I'll be here.
Last tent on the end.
The other end.
I guess I did see that one coming.
What are you doing?
Painting.
Okay.
You heard from Leslie yet?
No. She's not returning my calls.
I'm thinking of flying down there,
talking to the board myself, see if I can
get them to change their mind.
You remember what happened last time?
I will think before I speak
this time.
I really love animals,
and I miss working with them so much.
Elephants?
Well, that's a little different.
Yes, I know they're not
your typical clientele,
but I'm also familiar with antelope, rhino
and the occasional baboon.
When can you start?
How about now?
Welcome aboard, Kate.
Thank you. Everyone calls me Dr. Kate.
Just think about it.
I mean, you'd be getting a college degree,
and you'd be doing something you love.
I dunno.
It's not really what I had in mind.
And it'd be really
good for your musical career.
I dunno. It's a lot to think about.
I know.
Can I have a night to sleep on it?
Of course, of course! Let's go get lunch.
A music degree? Really?
It's the perfect solution.
He stays in college,
but he studies something that he loves.
You're really okay with our son being...
a musician?
You know, it's his passion!
I mean,
when else is he going to get to try it?
When he's 50
and he's in a job that he hates?
Drew...
he is never going to be you.
We just have to help him be himself.
Okay.
Really?
Yeah.
Thank you.
I just wanna know...
in Africa...
did you meet someone?
Yes, I did.
I met me.
Five, four, three, two, one...
Happy New Year!
Dr. Kate!
Hi!
I know I said I wouldn't worry, but...
Your elephants are fine.
Good. And how are you?
How is everyone?
Less so, I'm afraid.
Derek...
Derek wouldn't want me
to say anything. But...
What's wrong?
We're in real trouble.
Derek got some emergency funding
from another foundation,
but if we don't figure out something
long-term and soon,
I don't think we'll last
much past June of next year.
Well, no, no, no, that can't happen!
Derek, you have a package.
Looks like we don't need the foundation.
Not for a very long time.
At least not until next Christmas.
- How are you?
- Hi, how are you?
I'm Johnny, hey.
All right, what is this? Is it a thorn?
Oh! No.
It's a diamond!
No one missed this?
King Charles
in room needs a teeth cleaning,
and Missy's here.
Wait, that is the third time this week!
- Well, hello again.
- Hi.
And may I say that's a very nice sweater!
Oh, thank you.
What are you in for?
Just a nail clip.
Ah.
A mani-pedi.
And a refill on her antidepressants.
Doctor?
Doctor, should we go in?
Um...
Just give me one second, okay?
So sorry. Just... one second.
Is that how we're doing things now?
Well, it works.
And the elephants like it.
Maybe I should get you a bottle,
cheer you up a bit.
I'm fine.
I have a pick-up. You want anything?
Coffee beans, please.
Yes, ma'am.
Thanks.
Rafi!
Derek!
Are we up for some poker tonight?
I wish I could.
I have an early flight.
Taking some tourist into the bush.
Ah, yes.
Here you go.
Enjoy.
What's this?
Lady bought it for you.
Two weeks ago, I sold my apartment.
Two days ago, I bought a one-way ticket.
And two minutes ago, I walked in here
after a very long journey.
Well, I hope you're ready for another one.
Hey.
You ready?
No.
You can do this.
Manu, I'm really gonna miss you.
I'm gonna think about you every day,
and I want you to know
not to be scared out there.
You're gonna do great because
you are smart
and you are strong
and you are brave. Okay, baby?
So go ahead.
Go.
Go live your life, all right?
Make something of yourself.
And now I let him go just like that?
Just like that.
You think he'll remember us?
Of course he will.
He's an elephant.
Come on, New York.
Let's go home.
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