Page 60 of Chasing Fireflies

“Well…yeah, that, too.” I wink and give her a kiss on the cheek. She smells like cooking and clean linen.

“And who’s worrying?” She grins and grabs the boiled eggs off the stove. “I’m going to rock this dinner. I may have never cooked like this before, but I think it’s all turning out pretty damn good.” I narrow my eyes at her and watch as she moves around the kitchen. She’s in full force. All of her energy and mind have been focused on this Thanksgiving dinner for a week now. I’ve tried to get her to chill out, but she tells me she’s fine. She isn’t fine. She’s on a high, and I’m just hoping this one doesn’t have a hard fall. I hear a knock on the door.

“Oh shit, whoever that is, they’re early,” Sara says as I wipe my hands on a dishtowel.

“Who cares? I’ll entertain them while you get things ready, and if it’s Leigh, maybe she can help you before you know who shows up.” I walk out before she responds and open the door.

“Happy Turkey Day!” Leigh says, walking in the house. She pats my arm when she walks past me.

“She’s in the kitchen,” I call back to her.

“Hey, man,” I say to Mark as he walks in.

“Got the game on?” he asks.

“You know it. Want a beer?”

“Yeah, thanks.”

*

Sara

“I’ve been cooking since last night. I hope this turns out good. You know my mama will have something to say.”

“So what? Let me help with something,” Leigh says, tying on an apron.

“You can mash the potatoes.” I take the masher out of the drawer and hand it to her. “They’re over there on the counter. I’ve already put salt and pepper in the bowl. The butter is by the stove.” I pour sugar into the sweet tea I’m making and look back toward Leigh as I pick up the wooden spoon to stir it. “So, Maci is with her parents?” I ask.

“That’s what she says,” Leigh replies.

“What? You don’t believe her?”

“I’m grabbing Mark and me a beer,” Cash says, walking into the kitchen. “What time is everyone supposed to get here?”

“In about thirty minutes,” I say as he opens the fridge.

“You two want one?”

“Yes,” we both say at the same time.

*

I hear the sound of everyone laughing from the living room, and I sigh. I think this is good. I think I’ve done well. Yeah, I’ve outdone myself. I untie my apron just as Mama walks into the kitchen.

“You should have put the potato salad in the fridge. No one likes hot potato salad.” She grabs the bowl and puts it into the fridge.

“It’s time to eat now, Mama.”

“I don’t know why you didn’t already put it in there,” she huffs, and I roll my eyes.

“Always have something to say.”

“What was that?”

“Nothing,” I say, picking up a bowl of peas and taking it into the dining room. The whole house is decorated, but my table looks the best. I’ve been putting money aside from the library, and I admit I went a little nuts on the décor purchases, but so what? It’s Thanksgiving.

“Cash, will you come get the turkey?” I ask. He puts his beer down on the table and stands up. I walk back into the kitchen and grab more food.

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