New Beginnings

In celebration of John's earning a GED and being allowed to re-open his day care center, his friends throw a party at The Overlook.  

John: As soon as Sulu gets done with these pictures, you can go play.  

Roxy: Yeah, and the more you wiggle, the longer it's gonna take.  Aren't you proud of Daddy?

Kelly: I'm way prouder of him than you are.

Kelly: Oh, come on!  We wanna play, not pose a million times! 

John: There, all done.  (To Sulu) What is it with kids? They won't pose when you want them to, but as soon as you point the camera the other way...  

Sulu: Who knows?  Kids are aliens.  Vivica, let me take Dixie before you get up.  She's almost as big as you are. 

Ryan surprises the twins and their sweethearts by joining them.

Ryan: Whitney, you got a minute? 

Whitney:  Only if you're apologizing for being obnoxious for the last three or four years.  

Ryan: That's it exactly. You don't deserve any of the things I said to or about you and, well, I'm sorry.  I promise you, I am not the same guy I was when school let out. 

Whitney: I heard you were trying to get past your stupidity.  I'll forgive you.  

Sylvia: You made all this food yourself? 

Midna: Oh, no.  I have three other cooks in my employ now.  

Sulu: Midna's being modest.  She might have had help cooking, but the planning and setting up here?  That's all her.  And she did it for free.

Midna: Not quite.  I am charging for the food. 

John: Look at them.  You'd think we never feed them.

Albus: Looks like you and Pocahontas, not so long ago.  

John: Not so long ago?  Maybe from your point of view, old man. 

Albus: Of course from my point of view.  Who else's would I use?

Stacie notices Gabriella, who brought Jenny to the party, sitting alone in the corner.

Stacie: Are you mad your parents made you bring Jenny? 

Gabriella (chuckles): I volunteered to bring her.  Anything to get away from my stupid aunt.  Remember I told you I thought my cousin Max would be in your class?   They aren't coming to school here at all - she's shipping them off to some fancy boarding school.  I'm never going to get to see my cousins again at this rate. 

Stacie: Max might be too young, but surely Mary is on some kind of social media.  Might be hard, since her dad is rich and famous, but I bet Taylor could find her.  She'll be home, um... I don't remember what day.  But soon. 

Pocahontas interrupts the scattered conversations by calling for a toast.  

Pocahontas:  We all know what John's been through to get where he is today.  A toast to new beginnings and a wish for good luck! 

Everyone joins in (the young with soft drinks, of course). 

She grabs John and kisses him.  He's not surprised - they planned this.

Sulu:  Wait, what? 

Nakoma: Saw that coming a mile away.

Roxy: Hooray!  Look, Anakin, we did it!

Albus: New beginnings, indeed.

Anakin: Holy shit.