Everyone ready to help Millie with the customers and the orders?

Peter: I am! :)

Micky: You bet! :D

(Mike grumbles over demanding customers. :p)

Lauren: I'm ready, and so are the twins!

Davy: Let me show you a REAL English tea scone. ;)

(We begin in the kitchen. Emma leans over something in one corner of the room, concentrating on decorating a cake with purple icing. Lauren and the twins frost Chocolate Cream Drop cookies, while Micky puts them in containers for Millie's catering service. Peter and Davy defrost and bake cakes, cheesecakes, and cookies for the hungry after-dinner crowd.)

Mike: (Sticks his head in) We need more apple cinnamon cheesecake, chocolate chip cookies, and double-fudge brownies!

Davy: Didn't we just make the double fudge brownies five minutes ago?

Micky: *seals a container* We're going as fast as we can, Captain!

Mike: (Yells over his shoulder at a customer) Yeah, I'm comin', I'm comin! Hold your mustangs, boy! (To the bakers) It's a buncha teenagers comin' back from their homecomin' pep rally, and they're HUNGRY! :p

Arthur: (Ducks under Mike's arm) Mike, the football players are starting to chew the table legs! What should I do? :o

Mike: Hope the tables don't have termites. ;) :p

Micky: *over his shoulder* Maybe you should offer them toothpicks instead of table legs. ;)

Peter: (Pulls a big chocolate cake with a very wobbly "Happy Homecoming!" written in fudge frosting) Here, Mike! This should... (he stumbles and the cake goes flying...right dead center onto Mike's chest)

Mike: Oh, maaaannnn... :p

Peter: (Sobs) Oh, Mike, I'm sorry! :o

*Micky glances over his shoulder, snorts, and turns back around, snickering.* ;)

Arthur: (Grabs the remains of the cake from Mike's chest as the noise level in the main room goes up) This will do! (Hurries into the main room)

Mike: (Makes a face) Guess I'd better change. The football players may end up eatin' ME. :p

(Mike goes out of the room, trying to hide his chocolate chest.)

*Micky bursts out laughing.* :))

(Emma, who saw the whole thing out of the corner of her eye, chuckles. ;) :D)

Micky: *wiping at his eyes* That was so funny!

Peter: I'm sorry! I guess I should have been more careful. :(

Davy: No 'arm done, Petah. We can bake anothah cake. (Winces as the noise level goes up futher) And fast, if the crowd out there is any indication.

(Mike reemerges in a clean shirt, tie, and apron.)

Mike: Ok, folks, I'm going to bring out the pumpkin cookies and the apple cider to the bundles of raging hormones out there. If I'm not back in an hour, call the Marines and pray they have a unit to handle teenagers. ;)

Peter: They're only kids, Mike. How bad could it be?

Micky: Can you seriously ask that question, Pete? :P

(Another wave of shouting and squealing. This time, it's so loud, the windows rattle. Katie, who was napping in a corner, wakes up and starts to cry.)

Lauren: Geez, and I though Mick and the twins were loud! :P

Emma: Oh good lord allmighty. (Puts down the decorator's bag and covers the cake; picks up the crying baby) It's ok, Katie. It's just a bunch of noisy kids coming back from a rally.

(Mike is suddenly thrown into the kitchen. He's covered with brown stains and cookie crumbs.)

Mike: I think someone spiked the homecoming punch. :p

Micky: *slight grin* Really? ;)

Lauren: Mick, no. :P

Mike: BEFORE they came here, Father Dear Father. ;)

*Micky snaps his fingers.* ;) :P

Peter: (Looks at his watch) It's getting late!

Davy: We've still got mixes to work on for tomorrow, and more cookies and cheesecakes to bake for commercial orders!

Mike: (Rolls up his stained sleeves) Come on, everyone. Let's work double-time. We've gotta get these kids fed and those orders done!

Arthur: (Pokes his head in; he now has a cup of cold apple cider on his head) Guys, they're really getting rowdy! :o

Mike: You and Ron hold 'em off while we work on these orders. If they start breakin' windows and throwin' you guys through the celing, call the cops.

Arthur: We can't! The line backer's girlfriend is talking with her best friend about her cousin's boyfriend's break-up with his girlfriend of three years!

Lauren: What? :-/

Mike: Tell her she can read about it in the tabloids and it ain't her place to be hoggin' the phone, anyway.

Micky: Okay, the linebacker's girlfriend...

Lauren: Mick, don't hurt yourself figuring it out. I can't. :P

Davy: I'm sure the kids 'ave no trouble. Let THEM figure it out. ;) :p

Arthur: Well, ok, but do you think Millie would pay for my medical bills if those guys break anything?

Mike: I'M gonna break somethin' if you don't get your buttocks OUT THERE! :p X(

(Arthur takes one look at Mike and scurries back out the door as fast as his thin legs can carry him. :o )

*We see everyone in the kitchen begin to move in fast time as "It's Not Too Late" starts.*

(Emma works to finish her purple-and-blue cake.)

*Micky has a rolling pin in hand, to smooth out pie dough. A couple eggs sit on the counter. He rolls out the dough and the eggs start to roll away. He catches them and puts them where they were.*

(Mike tries to swipe icing. Emma smacks his hand with the decorator's bag, which squirts all over his shirt. He makes a face and tries to wipe his shirt off. Emma has to cover her mouth to hide the snickers. ;) :)) )

*The twins continue to help with icing as Lauren brings another pan to them. She notices that they'd paused in icing and were watching Micky catch the eggs.*

(Davy and Peter go back and forth, grabbing butter and eggs from the freezer. They reach for two sticks of butter, and find as they start to move in opposite directions that the sticks are frozen together. They tug as hard as they can, but the butter remains stuck.)

*Micky shakes his head and rolls out the dough again, only to have the eggs try to roll away again. He catches them and puts them where they were. He glares at the eggs while rolling out the dough again. As soon as he looks down at the dough, the eggs roll away again. Micky catches them again, this time by slamming his rolling pin down on them!* ;) :P

*Lauren gives the twins a questioning look, but they go back to happily icing more cupcakes.*

(Mike starts to mix up a cake, but accidentally reaches for a bottle of rubber cement that looks a little like the glass bottle the milk's in. He starts to mix the dough, humming along with the song.)

(Emma pulls an Oriental screen around her and the cake. She can be seen working on the cake in silohette.)

(Peter comes back into the kitchen, dragging Davy along with him. Both still hold the frozen sticks of butter.)

*Lauren goes to retrieve another pan of cupcakes and gives the Oriental screen a look. She shrugs and continues retriving the pan.*

(Mike is finding it a bit hard to mix his dough. He tries to pour it into a cake pan, but the spoon keeps sticking. He tries to pull it out, but it ends up hitting him in the nose and bouncing right back in.)

(Emma hacks Peter and Davy's butter sticks apart with Mike's hatchet from "The Chaperone.")

*Micky now has a half dozen smashed eggs on the counter and smashes two more that try to roll away.* :P

(Mike is still fighting with his cake mix. He takes the hatchet from Emma, pulls the spoon out of the bowl, and whacks at the stretchy mix. It does come apart...but the bowl of mix goes flying over the counter and out to the main room.)

(Peter frowns at Micky's two eggs. He grins, a lightbulb appearing over his head. He picks up the last two eggs...and puts them in an empty carton to stop them from rolling. :D )

*Micky grins his thanks at Peter.* :D

(Davy comes in the kitchen with a bag of flour almost bigger than he is. He totters this way and that before finally gaining his balance.)

(A very angry and VERY big football player storms into the kitchen with Mike's bowl of cake mix on his head. He's red as a tomato and almost seems to have steam coming out of his ears. ;) :o )

*Micky walks over to the big football player with a pan of mixture ready for the oven. He holds it to one of the guy's ears, trying to bake it.* ;)

(Mike takes one look at him and runs back into the main room, leaping over the counter. The football player follows, running into Davy as he does.)

(Davy spins around a few times, then finally drops the flour on the floor, covering everyone and everything with a flurry of white. The clouds are just clearing as the music winds down.)

Davy: Damn it! Whoevah that was, they jumped right in me way! :p X(

Emma: (Coughs and swats clouds of white away) I hope Mike's ok. That football player was pretty upset.

Micky: I think Mike will be okay. ;)

Peter: (Dusts the white powder off his hair and mustache) Oh, man, this place is a mess! (Frowns at the batter he was mixing) I hope my cookie mix doesn't get too dry! :p

Davy: I'm not gonna be able to staht me pumpkin pies without flouah!

Emma: We could always do some baking on the floor. ;)

Micky: *glances at the floor* Ewww. ;) :P

Davy: Well, Lauren, you wanted snow for Christmas this year. ;)

Lauren: Uh, yeah. I don't think I meant it like this, though. ;)

Emma: (Picks up Katie) Katie's ok. I pulled a thin blanket over her stroller after the teenagers woke her up the first time. In fact, I think she's facinated. She's never seen this much white in her entire life. ;)

(Indeed, the baby is very much awake. Her large brown eyes dart from one powdery white shape to the next.)

Arthur: (Ducks in; his clothing is a bit bedraggled and there are teeth marks on his apron; makes a face) Don't ask. (Eyes widen at the flour mess) What in the HECK happened here? :o :p

Peter: Would you believe an early white Christmas?

Micky: It snowed. ;)

Davy: I accidentally spilled some flour, that's all.

Arthur: SOME flour? I saw less white stuff on the top of Pike's Peak. :p

Peter: We're pretty far along with the baking, anyway. We could clean up, then finish some of the mixes for tomorrow.

Davy: Millie should be able to finish anythin' we really can't. :)

Arthur: The football players finally cleared out. There's a couple of them and a few girls left, but the rowdy ones all decided to go let off steam in LA. :p

Davy: Where they can smash anythin' they please. ;)

Micky: And I'm sure they will. ;)

Arthur: Ronnie's out there now, wiping tables and accessing the damage. ;)

Emma: You guys clean up out there, then come in here and help us do the dishes and tell us where to put stuff away. :)

Arthur: Sure! That should be our last rush of the night, too. We'll just be gettin' people coming in for take-out desserts and after-dinner coffee, but they should be far less crazy than the kids. :)

Emma: And Arthur?

Arthur: (As he pulls his head out) What?

Emma: Where's the cleaning supplies?

Arthur: In the closet next to the pantry.

Peter: Thanks! (Arthur goes back to the main room. Peter wades through the flour to get to the closet.)

(As Peter pulls out brooms, mops, and buckets, there's a tap on a small window above one of the counters. Mike waves, looking agitated.)

Mike: (From outside) Let me in, before that big baboon comes around wantin' a piece of my hide again! :p

Peter: Michael, you're ok! (Peter and Emma open the window and slowly helps Mike's lanky frame onto the counter. Peter gives Mike a powdery hug.) I was so worried! :o

Mike: I'm ok, Pete. I guess I gave that goon the slip. I hid in the alley behind Millie's until I didn't see him anymore.

Emma: What happened, anyway?

Mike: Good question. I followed the cake recipe to the letter. I don't know why it turned into an edible bouncing ball. :p

Davy: (Looks around) Come on, guys! We've GOT to get this mess cleaned up, before Millie comes in 'ere and sees us!

Micky: *looks horrified* And can never come back here again! :-O

Lauren: Very overdramatic, Mick. :P

Mike: Cut it out, guys. Let's get this place cleaned up. (He takes a broom from Peter and begins sweeping. Davy takes a whisk broom and sweeps the dirt from Mike's sudden arrival off the counter. Peter wipes down the counters, tables, and sinks. Emma covers the cake and cleans up her icing mess.)

*Lauren cleans up the twins, who obviously DON'T want to be cleaned up. Micky carries pans, bowls, and such, putting them back where they belong.*

(Cut to a bit later. The camera shows that it's now dark outside. Emma, Peter, and Davy are covering the last bowls of batter with plastic wrap and putting them in the freezer for tomorrow. Mike stacks the boxes and containers of baked goods for the stores and catered events. Arthur and Ronnie put away dishes.)

*Micky is now helping Lauren, who's STILL trying to clean up the twins. Somehow, everytime they think the kids are cleaned, they're messy again.*

(Emma goes to Katie and picks her up, cuddling her. Mike leans over her, cooing. Katie watches the activity in the kitchen with some interest. :) )

(Millie comes in as Davy and Peter put the last of the bowls into the pantry and Arthur puts the last dish away.)

Millie: (Yawns) That was some nap I took. (Looks around) Well, seems you kids are doing all right. ;)

Mike: We know how to handle ourselves just fine, Mil. ;)

Peter: Well, we had some trouble with a few customers... (Davy elbows him. :p )

Micky: Everything's still in one piece, Millie!

Arthur: Some of the tables got a little chewed up, but nothing's broken.

Millie: Did you get everything done? Even the surprise?

Emma: (Nods and grins) Yup!

Peter: We finished everything on the list!

Davy: Just put the mixes for tomorrow in the freezer. :)

Micky: And we're still standing! ;)

Arthur: Someone's gotta mop the main room and the bathrooms, but other than that, we're done, too. :)

Millie: I think this calls for a celebration! (Goes to the refrigerator and pulls out bottles of orange juice) Em, honey, this would be a good time to pull out that surprise. (Brings styrofoam cups out and pours orange juice in them)

Emma: Ok. Hold on a minute. Mike, would you get the lights?

Mike: (Shrugs) Sure, darlin'. (He takes Katie from Emma; she cuddles happily into her father's arms as he turns the lights off.)

(After a few minutes, Emma comes out with a large sheet cake decorated with purple icing with the words "Happy Birthday, Lauren" in wobbly but legible purple and blue icing, illuminated by candles. Emma's smile is as warm as the flickering lights. :D)

Emma: Happy birthday, Laur. :)

Lauren: Oh my Lord! :">

(Everyone sings "Happy Birthday." Arthur and Ronnie even join in, though they're terribly off-key, and Katie fusses at the noise.)

Micky: *grins; puts an arm around Lauren* Happy birthday, babe! Betcha though we forgot. ;)

Millie: Well, what are you wating for? Make a wish and blow 'em out! ;)

Davy: Before we 'ave the fire depahatment in 'ere! ;)

Lauren: Thought YOU all forgot? With everything we've been doing tonight, I forgot! *waves her hands* Alright, alright, I'm blowing them out now! *takes a deep breath and blows them out*

Emma: (Hugs Lauren) Happy birthday, honey. Our present for you is at our house. We'll give it to you tomorrow. :)

Peter: (Gives Lauren a BIG hug) Happy birthday! :D

Lauren: *coughs slightly* Thanks, everyone! :D ;)

(Mike turns the light back on as Millie gets plates, forks, and a large cutting knife.)

Micky: Time for cake! :D

Emma: I hope it came out all right.

(Millie slices cake for everyone, giving Lauren the largest piece, of course. ;) )

Lauren: It looks fantastic, Em! :)

Mike: (Kisses Emma on her cheek) You did a nice job, darlin'.

Emma: I do miss baking for a crowd. :">

Millie: (Smiles) One more thing. (Goes to the freezer and pulls out a stack of cookie containers) I want you kids to have these. Payment for helpin' me out today, and my birthday present for Lauren. Chocolate chip and pumpkin spice. :)

Arthur: What about us?

Millie: (Grins) You two will be seeing a little something extra in your paychecks this week for going above and beyond the call of duty. ;)

(Arthur and Ronnie grin widely. :D)

Millie: (Puts her arms around the two teenagers) Thanks, boys. (Looks up at the others) Thanks, everyone. You did a great job.

Mike: You're welcome, Millie.

Millie: I put an ad in the paper for more help yesterday. I'll probably end up needing even more.

Mike: Well, if you ever need volunteers again and we're avalible, just give us a call. ;)

Emma: Only once in a while, though. Seven days a week of this will be murder on my figure. ;)

Mike: (Eyes Emma's plump body) I think your figure's just fine the way it is, Em. ;)

Micky: I'm available seven days a week! ;)

Lauren: Just not 24 hours a day, Mick. ;)

Mike: Mick, you'd eat her out of house and bakery. :p

Micky: No, I wouldn't! Not completely, anyway.

Millie: You're welcome here any time, Micky (shakes her finger), as long as you let a few cookies make it to the oven every now and then. ;)

Micky: Sure thing, Millie! ;)

Mike: Come to think of it, Mick, this would be a nice way for you to suppliment your income until you get better known as an architect. ;)

Micky: See that? :D

Millie: I'd be happy with even a part-time worker. I'll keep looking for full-time, but any of you who want to work with me are welcome. :)

Lauren: I will, too, Millie. It'll be fun! :)

Millie: You could even have the kids, as long as they promise to be good. ;)

*The twins nod enthusiastically.* ;)

Millie: (Leans over the twins) If I hire your mommy and daddy to work at my store, would you two promise to be good and not make a mess or get into mischief? :) ;)

*The twins nod, smiling.* :)

Millie: (Shakes Micky's hands, then Lauren's) Ok, guys, you're hired on a trial basis. We open at 9PM sharp and close at 10PM, but I'll need help in the morning with prep work and working on catering goods and store items, so we don't fall as badly behind as I did today.

Emma: That's the best kind of birthday present. A new job. :)

Micky: *crows* Alright! :D

Lauren: *grins* Thanks, Millie! This is wonderful! :)

Millie: It's wonderful that you're offering to help an old lady at all. ;)

Micky: Old lady? Where? *looks around* ;)

Mike: You've been good to us over the years, Mil. This is our way of thankin' you.

Peter: You'll NEVER be old, Millie! :)

Davy: All I see is the loveliest mature woman in Malibu Beach. (Kisses Millie's hand)

Millie: (Grins) You're a good boy, Davy. You're also lucky Larry's on a moving run. ;)

Micky: Otherwise you'd be caught red-handed, Dave. ;) :P

Millie: (Nods at the slight dusting of flour on Davy's wrist) Or white-handed, as the case may be. ;)

Peter: We're just glad to help out a friend. :)

Micky: Darn right! :)

Mike: (Nods, then smiles and turns on the radio; the theme from the James Bond film "You Only Live Twice" plays) Well, this is a birthday party, right? Why don't we party?

Millie: Sounds just fine to me! ;)

Micky: Party!!! :D :D :D

Peter: Until the cows come home!

Davy: Bettah yet, until the cows call the cops. ;)

*The twins moo.* ;)

(Everyone laughs and starts dancing to the music as the camera pulls to a final shot of the half-eaten cake with the music and the sticky, dusty revelers in the background, before fading out altogether.)