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Matthew
This isthe first year our grandparents spend Thanksgiving with us in Washington State. Ainsley decided to host, and include Arthur Bradley, her father-in-law, and his wife. Which is cool.
Arthur Bradley has worked for my father for years and spent holidays with us more often than he spent them with his own family. However, having the wife is plain weird. Every time I say hello, she looks at me as if I’m going to give her syphilis, and she does the same with Jacob. Not that it matters to us, but tonight her attitude is not flying well in my radar.
She’s staring at Thea’s hand, as if she might contract some deadly disease from her touch. I move my eyes from that to Arthur, who is frowning at his wife.
“Arthur Bradley.” He shakes Thea’s hand. “It’s nice to finally meet you.”
His wife gives him a petrifying glare and leaves us standing there. What the fuck just happened?
“Thank you for lending me your apartment, sir,” Thea says, giving him that sweet smile of gratitude that she’s so eager to share with everyone. “It was really kind of you.”
“No problem.” Arthur studies her. “Do I know you?”
She shakes her head vigorously as if that’ll convince him that they’ve never met before. He points at his eyes. “Sure? That eye coloring isn’t common.”
Thea lifts her hand where she’s carrying the vegan pie, and I remember we’re heading to the kitchen to place all the food we’re bearing. When we walk around the dining room, I spot name places. My sister needs a hobby or another child. Name places?
“You like it?” Thea asks. “Pria, Ainsley, and I made the decorations—a new family tradition.”
Great, we should run in case they have us cutting snowflakes before the night is over. The joke sounds great in my head, but before I open my big mouth, I notice Thea staring at one of the seats. Tristan. Just right next to Thea. Fuck, did I forget to tell my sister that my boyfriend isn’t coming?
“Hey, Mattie,” Ainsley greets me. “Umm, you never confirmed how many were coming.” Ainsley shrugs when I point out the extra plate on the table.
“I thought…” She lowers her gaze, spins around, and leaves.
She doesn’t finish her sentence. Thea and I believed Tristan would be coming too. We’ve discussed Thanksgiving all week. Thea spoke over the phone several times with Pria and Ainsley about ideas and recipes for tonight. I told him not to go to Connecticut, to wait until after Thanksgiving and I’d go with him, but he didn’t listen.
He’s fucking stranded on the other side of the country. I want to believe he’s stranded and it’s not because of the fight we had before he left.
“Matthew, I have to go. They’re my family,”he said as he was leaving.
“I thought we were your family.” Thea’s small voice quivered. “The Deckers invited the three of us to share dinner with them. Because we’re—”
“Thea, I understand where you’re coming from, but I’m not avoiding Thanksgiving. I’ll be back on time. My father has a load of issues that he needs help with and…” The dull tone enraged me, but I understood. Even after everything they did to him, he still has the need to help them.
Coop told me they’re in financial trouble, even though his father is in denial. But I want him with me. We’re planning on building a house, a life. I… “What about Christmas? Are you staying with us?” The rage building inside me could melt the snow falling outside.
“Damn, this holiday isn’t over and you’re already asking about the next. You sound like my mother. Give me a fucking break, Matt,” he growls. “One fucking break.”
“You need a break from us?” Thea gets in his face. “Well, excuse me for being a supportive-understandable bitch that only asks for you to be with me.” The sweet one turns into a fire-breathing dragon. “I should be fucking done with you.”
Today, he called saying that his flight got canceled. I want to believe that it’s true but…
Thea and I chose not to discuss what happened. Not until Thanksgiving is over. We agreed to enjoy the holiday.
Earlier today we went with Mason, Jacob, and Pria to the soup kitchen where they volunteer. Ainsley stayed behind to prepare therealturkey and tend to the grandparents. Tomorrow we’re going to empty a couple of toy stores and then donate it all to a couple of youth centers.
It was an idea that the girls came up with a few days ago. It’s hard for me to understand that Thea has blended in with the Deckers, but Tristan switches from being part of them to avoiding them.
“What the fuck is that?” Papa stares at the tart I hold, pulling me out of my trance. “It looks like you dumped a salad on top of the pie. You people are ruining Thanksgiving. I almost disowned Ainsley when she said the wordTofurkey.” He shudders.
I bet he’ll die if he sees what I have inside the cardboard box. The Tofurkey my woman made.
“Hi, Chris. It’s a goat cheese tart with beets and arugula. You’re going to love it. Matt did.” Thea places the pie on the table, kisses Papa’s cheek, and takes the box from my hands. “Why don’t you two go and do your Thanksgiving, male bonding thing. I’m heading to the kitchen.”
“Did you really love that thing, Matthew?” Papa’s scrunched nose and lip twist tells me he’s not going to try it. I don’t blame him. It’s disgusting.
