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We all headed to the dining room, and I quirked a brow. They’d changed the table. This one was twice as long as the previous one.
"When did you get this?" I asked Dad.
"Three weeks ago. We realized we wouldn’t have enough space at Thanksgiving otherwise.”
"I insisted," Mom added, and Dad smiled.
"Happy wife, happy life. You'll do best to remember that."
"And we do," Travis said. "I live by that rule, Dad."
Avery grinned, looking around. It was like there wasn't any place in the world she'd rather be.
Tate, Lexi, Paisley, and Gran arrived a few minutes later.
“Beatrice, it’s so good to see you again,” Avery said.
“My girl, you’ve grown up beautifully. I was so happy when I found out you moved in with Sam. This lot was worried you two would do some... unorthodox bonding,” she said with a careful look at Paisley, “but I was hoping that's exactly what would happen.”
Avery blushed instantly. “You haven’t changed at all. Still call everything like you see it.”
“That’s me,” Gran agreed.
Lexi and Paisley started asking Avery about ordering jewelry the second after I introduced her. Lexi was far along her pregnancy, but I’d forgotten when her due date was.
I winked at Kimberly, who winked right back.
“Everyone, settle down," Mom ordered. "We’ll have plenty of time for that later. It’s time for the turkey.”
Mom had gone all out. She’d already put the gravy and mashed potatoes on the table, along with stuffing and the cranberry sauce and a few other dishes. Some years she added corn, on others green beans. This year, it was the latter.
Dad went with her to the kitchen. They returned a few minutes later, carrying the world's largest turkey. We all started clapping.
“I’ve never seen such a big turkey,” Avery commented.
I shook my head. “Neither have I. Then again, I’ve missed the last few Thanksgivings.”
They put it at the head of the table, and Mom immediately started cutting it as we passed our plates around to have them filled with meat and fixings. Dad used to carve the bird, but Mom had wanted to learn how to do it one year and continued doing it from then on.
"I remember Lena's cooking. It was always delicious," Avery said.
"She's only gotten better over the years," Reese said.
Avery giggled. "I'm really feeling like we're on a scout outing or something, waiting to get food."
"We're not too far off," Luke said.
"Yeah, we're going to start behaving like our fifteen-year-old selves any second now, Avery," Travis added.
"I don't mind." She glanced at everyone. "Just so I'm up-to-date, Tate and Travis are the only ones with kids, right?"
"Yeah," Travis confirmed.
"Do you think the little nugget will wake up this evening?" Avery asked. Rose was fast asleep in the car seat.
"Honestly, probably not. She’s usually in deep sleep at this time of the day," Bonnie said.
"Oh, that makes sense," Avery said, the disappointment obvious in her voice. "I hope I get to spend time with her sometime soon."
