Page 90 of Broken Grump

“It smells so good,” Addie comments. She’s wearing a pink sweater with dark blue jeans and has her hair up in a messy bun.

“What is it?” Luna asks.

Her mother hoists her up under the arms and holds her on her hip. “I’m not sure, baby. But what are we going to say once the meal comes out?”

“Thank you so much for preparing us this food.”

As she speaks, Addie mouths the same words along with her.

“Very good. And we say thank you, even if we don’t necessarily like it because?”

“Because nobody needs to do anything for us.”

Addie grins and tickles Luna’s belly. “Exactly. And that’s why we are grateful for each and everything that is given to us. Yes?”

Luna nods.

“Very good.”

I’m not sure that I will ever stop being in awe of the incredible mother that she is.

Soon, Betsy returns while carrying an immaculately carved turkey on a silver tray.

“Dinner is served!” she exclaims with a smile.

“Is there somewhere Luna can wash up?” Addie asks upon following her to the dining table.

“Of course!” After placing the meal on the large table, she offers Luna her hand, and the two of them prance back out.

“So . . .” Addie sits down and smooths a cloth napkin across her lap.

“So, what?”

She brings her elbows up onto the table and then leans her chin against her clenched hands.

“Well, how is everything going—”

Before I can answer, Luna bursts back on the scene with a little trinket in her hands.

“What is that, baby?” Addie inquires.

“I’m not sure. I found it in a room upstairs.”

Upon further inspection, I see that it’s my old View-Master. One of those plastic binocular doohickeys that you put circular “film” into and then flip a switch to see each individual frame.

She continues to click through until she grimaces. “What the heck is that?”

Addie takes a turn but seems similarly disgusted and perplexed.

“Let me see.” I bring it up to my face and see a wrinklyStar Trekcharacter. “Oh.” That makes me laugh for what feels like the first time in days.

“Maybe, let’s just let Hayden take that,” Addie suggests.

“No problem.”

From there, I carve the bird, hand significant portions off to our guests, and then sit down to enjoy my own array of light and dark meat.

“Mom?” Luna asks, looking quizzically at her food.

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