Chapter Text
2017
TAYLOR HOUSEHOLD
Tool Time music can be heard playing and then the darkness slowly fades and reveals Tim Taylor silently working at the dining room table on a computer. The 'Tool Time' theme is playing on the television that Brad is watching while going through a large folder filled with papers. Tim's hair is greying, but he looks pretty much the same. Brad is older and looks extremely distressed.
TIM: Brad, can you turn that down? I'm trying to think up ideas for Tool Time.
BRAD: I'm sorry, Dad. (a beat) I'm just so anxious.
TIM: If you're anxious, take a run around the block and have a glass of wine. That'll take the shakes right out of you.
Brad gives Tim a look and Tim sighs: his humor still falls flat on his family.
BRAD (worried): Marissa should have been back by now.
TIM (sighs): I hope it's good news this time.
BRAD (anxious, pissed): I don't understand how Randy and Lauren were able to have three children so easily and they've only been married six years. Marissa and I have been married for 10 and we haven't had any.
Before Tim can reply, the door opens and Marissa, a charming looking half-Peruvian woman with long dark hair comes in and silently walks over to Brad. Brad looks hopeful, but Marissa shakes her head sadly.
BRAD (pained): I'm sorry.
Marissa (struggling not to be sad): We're still on waiting lists for adoption.
Nodding, Brad stands up and embraces Marissa. Tim sighs heavily.
TIM (hopeful): You can't give up on being parents, Brad and Marissa. You might suddenly get lucky and get blessed with multiples like Al and Trudy did. Did I ever tell you that story?
Brad shakes his head no and Tim sighs as he thinks back to years ago.
July 4, 1999
TAYLOR BACKYARD
Tim is setting up the grill and making sure all the grilling tools are clean enough for use. The Taylor backyard is quiet otherwise.
Tim hears movement and turns. He smiles when he sees Wilson in his yard, also grilling something that smells like...coffee?
TIM (kind) Wilson!
Wilson suddenly comes over to the fence.
WILSON (cheery) Heidi ho, good neighbor. Whatcha doing?
TIM (cheery, walks over to the fence) What are you grilling?
WILSON (merry) Coffee! I need to stock up on lots and lots of it!
TIM (eyes widen, amused) Are you planning to stay awake for years?
WILSON (amused) No, no, no, no, Tim. Starting in September, I'm going to be travelling around to educational institutions around the United States to give guest lectures for various subjects, so I'll need something to keep me awake because the hours will be odd, like me!
TIM (eyes widen) Congratulations! Um...you're still coming to the barbecue later, right? Al and Trudy will be back from their honeymoon today...
WILSON (cheery) Oh, indeedy, yes. Speaking of which, are you setting up the grill?
TIM (sighs) Yeah, I have time since Brad just moved out to the UCLA campus on California a few days ago, Randy's still in Costa Rica, and Mark's off at a cooking course for teens being sponsored by the Rotary. Jill's off shopping for the barbecue. It's probably good nobody's home to ask about the food...the grill cooks things so slowly that we'll still have no food ready by the time everyone shows up. Maybe I could add more power to it!"
Wilson sighs and watches as Tim gleefully runs over to the grill and begins to take it apart.
1999
ONE HOUR LATER
TAYLOR BACKYARD
JILL (anxious) Tim!
Jill comes into the yard after leaving her purchases for the barbecue in the kitchen, leaving the back door open so she can hear the doorbell, and sees the grill in pieces all over the grass.
JILL (annoyed) Tim, what is this?! You said you were going to set things up for the barbecue!
Tim grins as he looks up from the mess he has made.
TIM (eager) I decided to fix the grill so the stuff would cook faster! Trust me, honey, I know what I'm doing.
JILL (upset) Al and Trudy are going to be here any minute! Marty, our mothers, Jeff, Carrie, and Wilson are also coming! What are we supposed to eat? Everything but meat?"
Tim opens his mouth to reply, but he's cut off by the doorbell.
JILL (upset) Tim, please just fix this and get started grilling the meat!
Jill hurries inside to answer the door.
TIM (annoyed, begins to put the grill back together) It's not like Al can't wait for a meal.
1999
TAYLOR HOUSE
Jill opens the door and is happy to see that Al and Trudy are there. Al has a big smile on his face and Trudy is glowing.
AL (pleased) Hiiii! We're back!"
Jill smiles as Al looks around for food.
TRUDY (eager) Is anything ready yet? Al's hungry...and truth be told, so am I.
JILL (annoyed, apologetic) Tim decided to fix the grill. I'll see if I have anything you two can snack on."
As Al, Trudy, and Jill wander into the kitchen, Jeff and Carrie wander into the house and immediately began to kiss as if nobody else was there.
JILL (spots Carrie) Hi Carrie!
Jeff and Carrie, however, aren't paying attention and continue to kiss.
Trudy and Al, meanwhile, are in the kitchen and Jill gives them some crackers from a cupboard.
TRUDY (eager) "Those look great! If it's okay with you, I'll take all of them.
Jill's eyes widen as Trudy rips open the box and begins helping herself to crackers like she is starving.
JILL (confused, intrigued) Is…is there something you want to tell us? Something exciting?
Tim suddenly wanders in, oblivious to what is going on.
TIM (eager) The grill's fixed! I can start grilling meat!
Jill gives Tim a look and Tim quietly retrieves the meat from the fridge, waving as Mark suddenly comes into the house with Lillian and Marty at his heels. Wilson also wanders in shortly thereafter along with Lucille.
LILLIAN (happy) Look who I found on my way over! Parker said he'll be here for dinner, Jill, if that's all right with you. He's just arrived from Texas and he's freshening up at the hotel.
Nodding, Jill smiles, determined to support her mother's happiness even if it did mean seeing her be happy with another man. Al suddenly exhales, looking ready to burst with happiness about something.
AL (excited) I actually have an announcement that we were going to wait to share until we ate, but I can't hold it in any longer.
Everyone suddenly looks at Al curiously and Trudy smiles knowingly while continuing to eat.
AL (eager) We're going to be parents in six months!
TIM (pleased) Wow! Congratulations, Al and Trudy! Did you talk Heidi into coming today? I'm sure she'll want to congratulate you and Trudy too!
AL (shakes his head) Heidi's off on a mini-holiday with Scott and Amy. There's a little more to our news, though.
TRUDY (eager) We're having twins! Isn't it great?
Happy noises fill the air as everyone surrounds Trudy and Al and peppers them with congratulations for their wonderful news.
2017
TAYLOR HOUSEHOLD
Brad looks awed and Marissa looks hopeful, both of them considerably calmer now.
BRAD: We can't give up hope, you're right. (smiles) Thanks Dad. Do you need any help?
MARISSA (hugs Tim) Thank you, Tim. (pause) You're such a great father.
TIM: Brad, I'm doing fine. Why don't you two go help your mom with dinner.
As Brad and Marissa walk off to the kitchen, Tim looks out the window towards Wilson's yard and frowns when he suddenly sees movers moving boxes in and out while Willow watches.
TIM (quietly, concerned): What's going on over at Wilson's?