A Family Thanksgiving - 1. Chapter 1

Krista turned the small ceramic bowl around on the table again. She did her best to hide the small imperfection. She had been so proud when she had created the bowl, painting it with a new glazing method. The finished result had been a spectacular bowl that moved from an egg shell white to sky blue to a deep purple. There was just one spot where the blue met the purple where there remained a small circular white spot half the size of her pinky nail. Even with the imperfection, she was proud of what she had done and wanted to show it off. Besides it was the first time the whole family was coming for Thanksgiving at her new home so she was proud of how hard she’d worked to make everything look nice. For once she didn’t want to have the family fighting about everything, this was her chance to make the perfect meal.

She set the bowl down and began to arrange some flowers in it when her phone rang. She rushed over to answer it.

“Hello. Happy Thanksgiving.”

“Yeah, yeah. Are you sure you don’t want me there early to help you cook?”

“Geez, Momma. Have a little faith in me.”

“Well, your sister is coming to this, dear. I want this to be perfect for her.”Her mother’s voice was raised already, putting her on the defensive.

“My sister is a pain in the ass.” Krista sighed and ran her hand through her hair as she glanced over at the table.

“Behave!” Denise’s voice was sharp and cut through Krista’s thoughts. “The poor thing has been through enough already.” There was a catch in her mother’s voice as she continued to speak. “Divorced and with two children to raise.”

Krista bit her tongue to keep from saying what she wanted to. Dee had been through enough already? Krista wanted to scream at the absurdity of it all. Dee was her younger sister and the one her mother seemed to cater to. Krista waited for the usual comparisons that her mother insisted on giving her every time they spoke. It seemed her plans for a perfect meal were falling apart before the day had even begun taking with it her happiness at the day she had imagined.

“Mom, she filed for the divorce and is the one who found a younger man. Richard was the one left out in the cold.”

“Krista don’t start. My little girl has it so hard.” Her mother’s voice broke and sounds of sobbing could be heard, “Andrew talk to your daughter.”

Krista sighed as the phone was passed to her stalwart father.

“Hi, Baby-girl.”

Krista smiled. Here she was with a husband and two teenaged sons, and he still called her Baby-girl.

“Hi, Dad,” Krista paused to take a breath, “I know. Lay off Dee.”

“You know what your mother is like. Besides I want to have a nice meal.” There was a pause and Krista wondered what was happening. When her father spoke again it was barely above a whisper. “Not the dried out ones your mother and sister make.”

Krista tried not to laugh knowing her father was trying hard to keep her mother from hearing what he just said. Her father always knew the right thing to say. That was why when she was pregnant with her second son, she and her husband Rob had discussed it and agreed to name him Andrew after his grandfather. Of course Dee had a daughter first but got pregnant with her second child three months after Krista. After finding out she was having a son as well, she also named him Andrew after her father. So now there were three Andrews. Her father was well thought of.

“I’ll see you – and Mom - around two, Dad. And thank you.”

“You’re welcome, hon.”

Krista hung up the phone just before two strong arms surrounded her and pulled her close. After the stress of the phone call she relaxed, allowing her tension to be momentarily forgotten.

“Not now, darling. My husband should be back any moment.”

She felt the laughter ripple through his body before Rob spoke.

“Yeah right. Like if anyone else grabbed you like this, your shoe wouldn’t be embedded in their hand.”

Krista began to laugh too. She leaned into her husband and they kissed.

“Ugh, would you two get a room!”

Krista turned from her husband to find her first born son standing there in his bathrobe.

“Christopher Anthony, get your ass into the shower and then dressed. Your grandparents will be here in about two hours and I still need help in the kitchen!”

“Yeah, like this won’t be the disaster they always are when you, grandma, and Aunt Dee are in the same room.” Chris rolled his eyes and downed the can of soda he was holding.

“Chris, don’t upset your mom. Just get your act together and come back to help us. Grab your brother too and make sure he is ready.”

Krista watched Chris shake his head and trot down the hallway.

“You don’t think he is right, do you Rob?” Krista bit lightly on her bottom lip as her mind ran back to her phone conversation.

Rob kissed her and walked out of the dining room without saying anything, leaving Krista worried.

* * *

Krista carried in the turkey and set it down on the table before her father. She took a deep a breath as she watched the family sitting there. Her mother sat talking to her sister, and seemed to ignore Krista completely. Dee’s new boyfriend, Fred, kept joking with Dee’s son Andy. She caught Maria chatting with Chris and shooting looks between her and Dee. Her son Andy was busy telling his father to hurry up with everything. She said a silent prayer as her father stood up.

“I think that is everything.” Krista said with a smile.

“It looks delicious. I’ll carve and then we can start passing things around. Is everyone ready for a great meal?”

There were nods and soft murmurs as everyone glanced at the table which was now laden with food.

There were turnips, mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, ambrosia, a garden salad, stuffing, fresh hot rolls, butter, turkey gravy, and cranberry sauce all carefully placed on the table. There was enough for three times the amount of people sitting there, but it was all fresh and ready to be consumed.

She was taking her seat when she heard her son, Chris, whispering to his cousin.

“Do you think we will get to the meal this time?”

Maria laughed as she picked up her fork.

“I hope to taste it at least. If we make it to the end don’t expect a great dessert. You know how this usually goes.” Maria rolled her eyes and set the fork down. “We bought Danish on the way over. Mom burned the pumpkin pie she was making so we picked those up just in case we actually make it to dessert this year.”

“Well if we survive this, it is your house for New Year’s. But only if we get through Christmas at Grandma’s.”

Maria and Chris both laughed.

Krista sat down and wished she could keep from agreeing with them. She had promised herself that this year would be different. As long as Dee didn’t do her usual nitpicking, things should be fine.

“What an interesting bowl you have Krista. I’ve never seen anything like it.” Fred picked up the bowl and turned it so he could see the whole thing before gently setting it back down on the table.

Krista smiled as she looked across at Fred. “Thanks. I really like it.”

“Yeah. Too bad it is ruined by that spot on the side,” said Dee as she tucked her long hair back behind her ear. “Makes the whole thing worthless. Did you get it for free when you bought something, Kris?”

Krista counted to ten and took a deep breath before she spoke.

“No, it was something I made in pottery class.”

“Oh.” Dee wrinkled her nose slightly. “Sorry.”

“I think it is very pretty Krista.” Her father smiled and stood up. “Let’s say grace and then we can start passing around the bird.”

“Hopefully, the bird won’t be half done like the bowl.” Dee shook out her napkin and took a drink of water from her glass.

Chris turned to Maria and shook his head. “The bird never even got passed around the table to eat.”

Maria nodded as both Andys sighed.

“Excuse me. That turkey is cooked to perfection. Look at the coloring on it. I know how to cook a meal. That bird is going to be perfect, Dee.” Krista’s face began to color as she took a strangle hold on her napkin.

“Calm down. I didn’t mean anything by it.” Dee began to stand up. Maria grabbed Andy’s hand and they slipped from the table knowing what was coming.

“Krista, leave your sister alone.” Denise glared at her daughter across the table.

“Fred, get our coats. We’re leaving.”

And just like that everyone began talking over one another.

“Dee, would you stop. Your sister …”

“… had to pick on your poor sister. Krista, I swear ..”

“ … this crap happens everytime. Dee, this and Dee, that. Well what about …”

“… go outside with Maria and her brother. Probably won’t see them again for a year or so …”

“ …. FRED! Hurry up. Krista you are just not ….”

Then Robert stood up and whistled.

“Well this has been a pleasure. Let’s not do this again shall we. I’m tired of fighting and arguing every time we get together.” He paused and looked at the half empty table before speaking again. “The kids left the room to say goodbye in peace and quiet. I guess that leaves the adults to stop acting like children and grow up a bit.”

There was a moment of stunned silence. Everyone looked a bit red in the face, but it didn’t last.

“Fred, the children are waiting. Mom, Dad, I’ll see you for Christmas.” Her voice dropped a few notches as she turned to her sister and brother-in-law. “Keep the dessert. Happy Thanksgiving.”

Dee turned on her heel and walked out of the door.

Krista watched as her mother and father stood up, her mother rushing after her sister.

Her father looked sadly at the table. “The kids were right; we didn’t even get to eat the bird.”

“Andrew! Come out here.” Denise’s voice ripped through the moment and Krista watched as her father looked toward the door.

Andrew leaned over and kissed his daughter’s cheek.

“Sorry, Baby-girl.”

Krista tried not to cry as she looked at the table loaded with food and the empty seats. All she had wanted was the perfect holiday dinner with her family. Instead it was the usual disaster, where it looks perfect until you notice the scar and then it all falls apart.