| Subject: Priority Mail 164 |
Author:
Nikita507
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Date Posted: Thursday, February 10, 08:24:05pm
In reply to:
Nikita507
's message, "Priority Mail 156+" on Friday, February 04, 07:27:24pm
“Daisy, Adam… the table looks wonderful,” Nikita spoke as she took a seat to the right of Michael as he sat at the one end. The other end was still empty but that was where Walter was going to come in with the turkey. After much debate and after 15 rounds of Rock-Paper-Scissors, Walter was left with the duty of carving the turkey.
“It’s just a table,” Adam rolled his eyes but Daisy was happy with the compliment. She held Jason’s hand and slightly blushed. “There was some really nice stuff bought. I just arranged it in order…”
Nikita looked around the table and saw all of the eyes looking towards her. She looked at Michael and saw him sitting there with his hands on his lap. It had suddenly grown quiet as Nikita had noticed it would become often when she would walk into any room while they were waiting for dinner.
And she had it.
“Look, everyone… stop staring at me. I’m fine!” Nikita announced and she raised her hands to the loud swell of protests that they weren’t looking at her. The silence was immediate and Nikita looked pointedly at Michael. “I know that Thanksgiving is about family traditions… and it does feel unfamiliar and odd to me…”
Michael got the point and took Nikita’s hand. She got one person on her side so she slowly started to look around the table. “But I need you all to be yourselves… and you can talk about family… and traditions… I want to learn from all of you.”
The room grew silent again and everyone looked at each other. It was like no one wanted to say the next words, but someone had too.
“Well,” Mick spoke as he stood up and placed the bottle of wine on the table. “We haven’t even started dinner and we’ve had the first outburst… and that is before there is even alcohol served… that is a record… my family usually would wait until dessert.”
There was laughter and the tension broke around the table. Nikita looked to her side where Rhoda sat and smiled. “I mean it, Rhoda… be yourself.”
“I’m still trying to figure who I am too,” Rhoda whispered and Nikita nodded her head. This was something that was shared between Nikita and Rhoda. Rhoda hadn’t been at a Thanksgiving like this in a very long time. When she first was in nursing school and a nurse she would always volunteer for the shifts on the holidays so that those nurses with families could be with their family. The convent had nothing like this either – not even for Christmas.
“Popsicle… do you want a white or red?” Mick questioned as he walked around the table. Nikita tilted her head and looked at Mick. “I haven’t changed, Mick.”
“Ah… still the red,” Mick winked as he leaned over and poured the glass for Nikita and then Michael. Adam lifted his head from across the table. “Can I have some?”
“NO!” Michael and Nikita answered in unison. Adam shrugged his shoulders. “I had to try.”
“Boy… talk about dramatic changes,” Walter grumbled as he started to come into the dining room with the platter that had the turkey on it. “One minute, there is a dull roar… then its silent… then it’s loud… then quiet… and then tons of laughter.”
Walter placed the turkey down and pointed to Nikita. “You needed to put them in their place, Sugar.”
“Ah…” Michael spoke as he cleared his throat and Walter sighed. “I know… I have to do prayer…”
Walter stood there and dropped his head. “Dear God…”
Nikita tensed and squeezed Michael’s hand. She wasn’t sure about this at all. She knew that it was for people like Rhoda that they were doing this, but she had many mixed feelings right now.
“May your stuffing be tasty, May your turkey be plump,” Walter started as he lifted his head as Mick snickered. “May your potatoes and gravy have nary a lump, May your yams be delicious, May your pies take the prize, And may your Thanksgiving dinner stay off of your thighs!”
The table, including Rhoda, broke out into laughter. Walter bowed his head and took some bows. “Honestly…”
Walter lifted his glass and he waited as others did. “May God grant you always...A sunbeam to warm you, a moonbeam to charm you, a sheltering Angel so nothing can harm you. Laughter to cheer you. Faithful friends near you. And whenever you pray, Heaven to hear you.”
He quickly partook in carving the turkey and the food started to pass around. There was no tension and everyone was laughing. There were seconds for some and even some thirds for others. In ways it was as if Davenport and Walter were having a contest to see who could eat the most. But the wine was flowing easily and the soon they were sitting there, chatting when Walter tapped his fork against his glass. “I have one more thing I want us to do…”
Nikita grabbed her glass and shook her head while she took a sip. This was the one thing that she didn’t think she wanted to participate in. Going around the table and saying what they were grateful for. Too many people at this table could indicate her and she didn’t want that at all.
“This is not going around the table and saying what we are blessed for… or thankful for… or bringing up old memories,” Walter shook his head as he looked right at Nikita. “We all have been too serious in our lives… so we are going to go around and say what we are thankful for… but it can’t be an event… a person… it has to be something outrageous… almost as if it’s a guilty pleasure!”
Everyone stared at Walter in confusion. Walter shook his head. “Come on people… it’s to be funny. I’ll start… I’m grateful for… The Jersey Shore!”
Mick jumped oh. “Oh… I can play this game! I’m grateful for… mullets not coming back into style!”
The table laughed and there was a pause. Adam lifted his head. “I’m grateful for Butterfingers.”
Nikita looked at Michael and leaned her head towards him. Now the group was getting into it.
“ABBA!”
“Grease!”
“Reality TV – especially the Bad Girls Club.”
“American Idol.”
“No, not American Idol….America’s Got Talent… those opera singers…”
Nikita laughed happily and leaned her head back. She looked at Michael and finally chimed in. “QVC!”
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