(kitchen table has been moved out to common room, where it is set with a kettle of steaming hot chocolate, bowls of popcorn (peppermint and garlic-peanut butter), pitchers of orange juice and plates of chocolate-covered donuts - the five occupants are huddled around Erin's radio, mugs of chocolate and cups of popcorn at the ready)
(final notes of "It's In Every One of Us" play out)
Storyteller: (sobbing noisily) It...it was...beautiful...(sobs louder)
Beige: (slight grimace) Someone want to get the lady a tissue already?
Erin: (tossing tissue box to Storyteller) Here ya go, Storyteller. (sips cocoa) Wow...so Richard went hiking in the Andes with David Rudman, and they went up to see Machu Picchu...
Nora: I didn't know Richard had a paper route in middle school...(glares) And those boys went up and stole his papers when he wasn't looking. (looks at Scooter) Well, Scooter, what do you think?
(no answer from Scooter, who is gazing silently at the radio)
Erin: Scooter?
Scooter: (taking a shaky sort of breath) It...it was all good. I mean...just hearing everyone share their memories of him, and...(deep breath) On one hand, I miss him a lot more, but on the other hand, I feel like some of him's come back to us.
Beige: (squeezing Scooter's hand) We know, man...we know. (looks at Scooter's mug) Hey, are you going to drink that cocoa or can I have it?
Scooter: Oh, no you don't. (gleefully swipes up mug and swigs contents down)
Erin: Want some ice cream, Storyteller?
Storyteller: (sniffle, sniff) Oh...that would be nice.
Nora: Wonder what Richard would say to all of this? I know he hated sentimental stuff...
Scooter: Oh, I think he'd have secretly liked this...he just wouldn't admit it in public.
Erin: Ice cream's up!
Beige: Oooh! I'm putting chocolate chips and butterscotch on mine!
Nora: Uh, Beige, that's nectarine ice cream...
Beige: Nora, I've been putting chocolate chips and butterscotch sauce on my nectarine ice cream for years and it hasn't killed me yet.