Friday - 7/2
HORTON BACKYARD
Bill, Tommy and Marie lived next door to Jennifer, and they had agreed to use both backyards for the annual Brady/Horton Fourth of July barbecue. Ciara and Trix walked into the yard. Most of Salem was already there. Everyone was wearing red white and blue.
CIARA (quietly): Here we go.
Trix squeezed her hand. They soon found Claire and Chase.
CLAIRE: Hey, how are you doing?
CIARA: I’m okay. I would’ve been here sooner, but I stopped by the cemetery.
CHASE: That’s understandable.
Claire and Ciara hugged.
SHAWN-D: Sounds like you and Brady are getting along okay now.
PHILIP: Well, we haven’t killed each other yet, so there’s that.
Both men chuckled.
PHILIP: No, it’s actually better than I expected.
SHAWN-D: That’s good, man.
BELLE: I’m sorry Melanie couldn’t come. How is she?
PHILIP: Things are kinda rough right now, what with her having to stay in the hospital for now. But, we’re hanging in there, and we can’t wait for this new baby.
BELLE: I’m glad for you guys.
PHILIP: Thanks.
Allie and Sydney hugged.
SYDNEY: You made it!
ALLIE: Yeah, finally. After Mom practically demanded to have at least two different doctors look at my face to make sure nothing was broken, even though I already told her that there isn’t.
SYDNEY: So, there isn’t, then?
ALLIE: Nope. It cut the skin enough for me to bleed and give me this bruise, but nothing worse.
LUCAS: That’s good.
Lucas and Allie hugged.
LUCAS: I’m so glad you’re okay, kid.
ALLIE: Me too.
Bill clapped Jeremy on the shoulder.
BILL: How’s the job going?
JEREMY: It’s not what I’d like to be doing, but I get why no airline wants to hire me. At least working at the Horton Center gives me a chance to do something Great-Grandma and Great-Grandpa might actually be proud of.
BILL: They would be. You’re turning your life around, and if they were still here, they’d be your biggest supporters. However, as they’re not, that duty falls to me. And I am proud of you, Jeremy.
JEREMY: Thanks, Grandpa.
Hope and Jennifer hugged.
HOPE: Everything looks so beautiful, cuz!
JENNIFER: Thanks. Dad, Aunt Marie and Uncle Tommy helped with a lot of this. How are you?
HOPE: I’m good.
Sarah walked over.
SARAH: Hey, cuzzes.
JENNIFER: Hey!
Jennifer and Hope hugged Sarah.
HOPE: How are things at the hospital?
SARAH: They’re good. We were super busy after the storms last month, but things are finally calming down.
HOPE: Yeah, I can imagine.
SARAH: By the way, I talked to Melissa on the way here. She says Happy Fourth, and she’s so bummed she couldn’t make it to Salem to celebrate this year.
JENNIFER: Well, she’ll just have to come at another time.
HOPE: Or, we could go and visit her. I’m sure it would take some coordinating, but how would you two feel about a road trip to Baltimore?
JENNIFER: That’s a great idea!
SARAH: I love it! And I know Melissa would, too!
KADY: So this is American Independence Day, then?
CLAIRE: Yep. We spend the afternoon and evening together, celebrating family, friends and this country. Then when it gets dark, we watch fireworks.
KADY: Sounds grand. I don’t think we have anything like this back in Ireland. Sure, the closest thing is St. Patrick’s Day, and even that’s not quite the same. This is so cracker!
CLAIRE: I’m glad you’re enjoying it.
JULIE: There you are!
Julie hugged Mattie.
MATTIE: Sorry I’m late, Aunt Julie.
JULIE: Oh, nevermind about that. How was the game?
MATTIE: It was awesome! After getting murdered the last two nights, we finally beat the RailCats! And, guess who scored the winning run?
JULIE: Darling, that is fantastic news! Good for you!
STEVEN: Yes, she did very well.
JULIE: Wonderful!
CHELSEA: How’re you doing?
STEPHANIE: I’m okay. You?
CHELSEA: I’m good. I’m so sorry to hear about what’s going on with your Dad! Is there any news?
STEPHANIE: None recently, unfortunately. But, we’re hopeful that that’ll change at some point.
CHELSEA: I’m sure it will.
ABBY: Uncle Steve’s a fighter. He’ll be okay.
STEPHANIE: I know. Anyway, enough talking about sad things. This is supposed to be a party. Where’s my favorite godson?
CHELSEA: He and Thomas are playing together over in the sandbox.
ABBY: It’s so adorable!
STEPHANIE: Aw! So cute!
KENNEDY: Thank you for inviting me to the party.
THEO: Of course. You are my girlfriend, and there is nobody I would rather celebrate with.
ALANIS: You guys are so cute together!
THEO: Thank you.
KENNEDY: How was your camping trip?
JOEY: It was great, dude! We had an awesome time!
Tommy, Marie and Bill walked over to each other and looked out at everybody celebrating. Sandy, Addie, Lily, Steven, Benny, Mattie, Doug and Julie, Maggie and Victor, David and Carly, Scotty and Billie, Hope and Aiden, Shawn-D and Belle, Claire and Chase, Kady, Ciara and Trix, Sarah, Jeremy, Lucas and Sami, Johnny, Allie, Sydney, Will and Sonny, Ari, Jennifer, Abby and Chad, Thomas, J.J. and Paige, Philip, Roman, Cassie and Rex, Kayla, Max and Chelsea, Isaac, Eric, Joey and Alanis, Abe, Jett, Theo and Kennedy, John and Marlena, as well as Tony and Anna.
TOMMY: Mom and Dad would have loved this.
MARIE: Seeing all of these people together to celebrate friends, family and the freedoms we have in this country? They certainly would!
The three eldest Horton siblings hugged each other.
SALEM UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL
Unlike the partygoers, Melanie was not having such a good night. She had tried to sleep, but her stomach and back were hurting worse than they had been lately. She moaned and hit the call button on her bed. A moment later, Maxine walked into the room.
MAXINE: You okay, Melanie?
MELANIE: I don’t think so...
She winced.
MELANIE: Call Dr. Tanaka! Something doesn’t feel right!
MAXINE: I’ll get him now. You just hang in there, darlin’.
Maxine quickly left the room.
HORTON BACKYARD
Doug, with a microphone in hand, walked to the center of the yard.
DOUG: All right, everyone! If you’ll look to the east part of the sky, the fireworks should be starting momentarily.
Everyone at the party stopped what they were doing and turned to look at the sky. As if on cue, the fireworks display started. As it did, Doug gave a reading of the
Declaration of Independence. After he had finished reading, Claire and J.J. began playing their guitars and Doug sang.
CLICK HERE to listen along. Soon, several of the other residents of Salem who could sing joined in.
DOUG: Happy Fourth of July, everybody!
