This is my first Ed Edd n' Eddy story, as well as my first holiday based story. I had this idea for over a year and had been working on it for over a month, so I'm happy that I am finally able to post this. So, I hope this will be a pleasurable read.

Whether you liked or hated this, please use respectful language if you decide to review it. Constructive criticism is fully allowed and encouraged.

Ed Edd n' Eddy doesn't belong to me. The show belongs to its creator, Danny Antonucci, as well as Cartoon Network.


A Gobble Gobble Feast

Day: Tuesday

Leaves of the autumn season had long since changed from their vibrant greens to reds and yellows, many of which now littered the ground and walkways of Peach Creek, though many more still decorated the tiring trees, as the deciduous prepared for the harsh winter approaching. But that was not all that was coming this Thanksgiving season.

"Thanks, Kev. Me and Plank can't wait for another one of your parties," Johnny said. He graciously accepted the green envelope from Kevin, his and Plank's names written with red ink in calligraphy. "I'm sure it'll be a hoot! Huh, Plank?"

The board with the smiley face was silent to all but the ears of Johnny, who laughed at what ever the eternally smiling piece of board had spoken. "Good one, buddy."

"Right," Kevin said, rubbing the back of his head. It was always weird when Johnny kept bringing Plank into the conversation. At least he isn't suggesting Plank is talking to me, Kevin thought. "Just don't forget the corn, alright?"

"No problemo, Kev," Johnny replied, pressing his thumb against his chest. "Me and Plank make the best corn on the cob." And did Kevin know it! In most circumstances, the jock hated corn, but he just couldn't get enough of Johnny's. Of course, Johnny wasn't the only one to thank, as the corn was always grown by Rolf.

"Well, see ya' later." Kevin walked away with Johnny waving goodbye and, within the recesses of Johnny's mind, so was Plank.

Eddy just rolled his eyes at the scene, paying no heed to the jock as they crossed paths, also doing the same when he was passing Johnny.

"Hiya, Eddy! Did you receive your invite from Kevin, yet?" he asked, as he always did, every year. The smallest of the Eds just rolled his eyes.

"Don't bug me." The irritation in his tone would drive off most. But Johnny wasn't like most people.

"Don't worry, Eddy." Johnny put Plank's face to his ear and nodded. "Plank says Kevin just hasn't gotten to ya' yet." There was no response. Eddy just trudged through the halls, hauling his backpack against the floor. By now there was a good distance between the two and Jonny waved goodbye. "See ya' in class, Eddy."

Mumbling incoherently as he approached his locker, Eddy dialed the combination and opened the metal door to throw his bag into the compartment. He bent down to unzip the bag and grabbed his necessary equipment: namely, a history book, a pencil, notebook, and a magazine, for when the teacher started talking. He slammed the locker closed and dawdled to his first class, where he soon spotted his friends approaching: Ed and Double D.

While Ed maintained his stare into oblivion, Double D spotted the three-haired Ed and waved with a friendly smile.

"Why, good morning, Eddy," said Double D, happy to greet his friend. "A joyous good day indeed, wouldn't you say?"

Eddy rolled his eyes.

"And what's so good about today?" he retorted. Eddy could barely care about the day ahead, and the coming days as he watched Kevin saunter down the hall towards Nazz. He glared at the jock like that of an angry hyena wanting to lunge at a lion. Though Eddy knew if he attempted any form of attack he would not only lose, but get a detention. Or suspension, Eddy internally mumbled.

"Now come on, Eddy. Surely even you know Thanksgiving is just two days away," Double D said, trying to cheer up the three-haired Ed. Eddy pocketed his free hand and sighed dejectedly.

"Yeah, Eddy. Soon you, me, and Double D will be together for Thanksgiving," Ed stated, eagerly waiting for the day.

"Big whoop," Eddy said. He sighed dejectedly before continuing. "Like, come on now, what's so special about Thanksgiving, anyway?"

"Eddy!" Double D was appalled by his friend's total disrespect for the holiday. He wasn't the only one. Ed was wide-eyed, as though Ed had witnessed a chicken's head cut off. He just had to gasp!

"How could you say such a thing?" Ed questioned, his voice just a few degrees under yelling. He grabbed Eddy.

"Hey, put me down!" he ordered. But Ed did not relent.

"Thanksgiving is a time we three come together and feast over a yummy oven roasted turkey, sided with fluffy mashed potatoes, corn, tasty yams, cranberry sauce and jam, pumpkin pie with whip cream, and gravy," Ed said. Eddy only grew more annoyed by Ed's lecture. "Lots and lots of gravy! Made by yours truly."

Eddy freed himself from Ed's embrace and pulled Ed's lip, stretching it to the floor.

"We don't even get half of that! All we get is your gravy, Ed, Double D's mashed potatoes, my stuffing, and whatever leftovers we can scrounge up," he irritably reminded. Eddy let go of Ed's lip, which recoiled and collided into Ed's face, knocking him over.

"Ed," Double D called, racing to his fallen friend. "Are you alright?"

"I'm A-Okay, Double D."

Double D smiled at Ed's cheerful attitude, though slightly envious of Ed's ability to withstand pain and recover from injuries at an incredible pace. But he did not that let show. Ed back on his feet, Double D turned his attention back to Eddy.

Double D sighed before speaking. "Eddy, I understand that our annual Thanksgiving doesn't meet the cultural standard of the holiday, but Ed is partially right on one thing."

Ed's eyes widened slightly, now tuning into more of the conversation wanting to at least try to retain the words. "Ed" and "right" were rarely in the same sentence with out an "isn't" in-between. So he just had to know what it was.

Double D continued. "Thanksgiving is about coming together, Eddy. Whether it be with friends or family, we come together to give thanks for what we have and to celebrate that thankfulness. That, Eddy, is the meaning of the holiday."

Eddy exhaled a deep breath and pondered over what Double D had said. What did he have to be thankful for? Eddy furrowed his eyes.

"Thankful for what?" he asked. He marched up to Double D. Eddy's sudden attitude startled the prodigy. "That our scams always fail? That we never get ahead? That the Kankers always jump us at least twice a month? That we don't even get a real turkey? What do we even have to be thankful for?" He shouted these questions at Double D's face. Eddy took a second to breath allowing some of the anger to dissipate "Or how about that our folks ditch us every Thanksgiving for some fancy, schmancy party?"

Eddy was now pacing around in front of his two friends like an anxious tiger suffering from anxiety. "Come on, Eddy. At least we three are together," reminded Ed. "And not to mention your stuffing went good with the sandwiches Double D made last year."

"Who cares?" Eddy asked, rebuking his friend with a shout. He also threw his arms in the air to emphasize his stance before folding his arms across his chest. "Is it too much to ask for to have a real turkey, instead of last year's sandwiches? Or the pizza before that? Or the leftover roast beef before that? Or the leftover Halloween candy before that one?"

Double D placed his hand upon Eddy's shoulder, but Eddy just shrugged it off. Double D attempted to say something but was interrupted by a sudden, repetitive ring that echoed through the halls. The warning bell!

"We'll talk about this later, Eddy. But we best be hurrying off to class, gentleman. We best not be late," Double D said. He then scurried off to class as fast as the school's no running policy allowed. "Coming, gentleman?"

"Right behind you, Double D," Ed hollered. "Coming Eddy?"

"Yeah, whatever," he replied, ambling through the hall, not really caring if he was late or not.

By noon, it was officially time for lunch. Eddy walked into the cafeteria with a brown paper bag, his two friends behind him. Eddy took his seat and took a bite out of his tuna fish sandwich.

Once seated, Double D placed a napkin on his lap and table before taking out his sandwich. Ed just took his seat and dumped the contents of his moldy bag onto the table. Soon Ed began devouring whatever slop he dragged into school.

"Gracious, Ed. Where are your manners?" Double D questioned. He tried to hold in the few bites he had already swallowed from his lunch, but the repulsive sight of Ed's manners was testing his stomach.

Ed looked from the bluish, perhaps moldy, gunk that was poured on the table, bits dripping from the amount now smothered on his face.

"Um," he thought, trying to conceive a viable response. "Back home with the donations." Double D just sighed and continued to take another bite from his sandwich.

"Of course Rolf would be willing to bring the fattened poultry to your party." Eddy heard Rolf from the other side of the cafeteria, seeing Rolf happily accepting an invitation to Kevin's party. Eddy grumbled to himself, tuning out the rest of the conversation.

"Why don't we ever get invited to Kevin's party?"

"Perhaps because Kevin hates us after all those precarious and sometime near hazardous scams we pull upon the Cul-de-Sac in your never endless thirst for cash and jawbreakers," suggested Double D, earning both his friends' attention.

"Uh, Eddy, what does Double D mean?" Ed asked. Eddy merely growled at Double D's response.

"Oh, who asked you," Eddy replied. But Double D wasn't finished.

"But while we're on the subject," Double D began, thinking best how to begin the subject at hand, "Thanksgiving isn't about parties or a turkey, Eddy. It's about giving thanks for what you do have."

Eddy just huffed, not caring about it. I have nothing to be thankful for, he thought.

"If this helps make you feel better, Eddy," began Double D. "In my very fridge, I have leftover chicken fingers and potato wedges. More than enough to go around."

Ed's eyes beamed and cheered in delight at the news. "Oh goody-goody! Potato wedges are like mashed potatoes in french fry form in need of a diet."

"Big deal!" Eddy uttered. He chewed the rest of his sandwich, crumbled up his bag, and walked to the door. For what ever reason, Ed decided to follow him, telling him to please wait up.

Eddy showed no sign of having heard Ed. He soon reached the door and exited the room, tossing the crumpled bag into the trash. The doors closed behind him with Ed following behind.

"He can be so difficult," said Double D, muttering the words beneath his breath. Finished with his lunch, he glanced at his wrist watch and sighed, allowing the heated steam harbored within to evaporate. "I suppose I should go catch up to them."

As Double D neatly folded his paper bag and placed it within his pocket, so that it may be reused, he got up to follow his friends. Hand now on the door, it froze when he heard the most unexpected sound to traverse his ears.

Crying? he thought. He turned to the sight to see it coming from…the Kankers? He rubbed his eyes. It was no trickery of the mind. The girls really were crying, more like sniffling by now at least. Their eyes were puffed red and faces stained with salty tears. Sure the Kankers and he, along with everyone else, weren't on good terms with one another, but his heart ached to see them like this.

But what could he do? Surely, he wasn't the strongest. His social skills with girl wasn't the best. For all he knew, this could be a set up, toying with his emotions to lure him in like a hungry fish.

"Why does Mom do this every year?" May ashed with a shout. She slammed her face onto the table and cried.

Oh, dear, perhaps this isn't a trap, he realized. There was no way this could be one of their tactics. The Kankers were crafty, yes, but even they wouldn't stoop to play with emotions. Double D pondered the situation.

"Maybe I could –"

"Hey, Sockhead, get the move on!" Sighing, he complied with Eddy's demand and walked out the door. Perhaps it's best I not get involved with personal affairs, at least for now, he thought. He then caught up to Ed and Eddy as they finished setting up a booth. Another scam, Double D realized.

"I'll be swimming in money, for everyone will want to try…Ed's Turkey!" Eddy loudly announced, revealing the cardboard turkeys. Double D just rested his face upon his hand, shaking calmly.

"Ooh, I so know what to do!" Ed said, his outburst ignored by his two friends.

Double D didn't attempt to stop Eddy. His mind was still upon the Kankers. He wanted to help them, despite the hardships they inflicted upon him and his friends. But why? He avoided them at all costs. Unlike the Cul-de-Sac children, they're the only ones who routinely harassed the Eds without cause. Even Kevin rarely harassed them without a cause, namely their scams. So why now would he feel sympathy. Of course, it was almost Thanksgiving. Everyone should have something to be thankful for, even the Kankers. But what to do?

Double D made up his mind. Perhaps tomorrow, he'll see if he could offer any assistance. He nodded confidently. That's what he was going to do!

The moment his decision was reached a zipping sound reached his ears, followed by Eddy's scream. "My eyes!"

Double D snapped his head towards Eddy, then to Ed. His eyes shut closed in absolute disgust at seeing the tallest of the three sitting on the stand naked!

"One Ed turkey ready for selling!" Ed hollered, remembering a vaguely similar scam from the summer. Screaming soon filled the halls as the other children ran in disgust.

"Ed, get your clothes back on!" Double D ordered.


Well today certainly was a long, detention filled day, thanks to Ed. He closed the door behind him and continued muttering to himself. Sometimes he questioned his friendship with them. But still, they're his friends. They're the first to befriend him, despite being the first they'd ever successfully scam. His intelligence was what solidified his place among the Eds, and by now, even if he lost his intelligence his bond with Ed and Eddy would still be unbreakable. And not even Eddy could deny that fact.

Hanging up his coat he walked into the kitchen. "Mother, Father, I'm home." There was no response. Only silence greeted him. This was unusual; normally Mother and Father were home about this time, on the holiday weekdays and weekends. "Mother? Father?"

He paused to think for a second, rubbing the back of his head in though. "Must have gone on their trip already," he told himself. He rubbed his arm, depressed that he hadn't gotten the chance to say goodbye.

The room was also vaguely empty of the sticky notes, leaving the room more silent as his parents' words no longer surrounded him, except for one lone sticky note.

It was on the fridge, placed on the handle. He walked over to the yellow message, peeled it off and read the note.

Dear: Eddward,

As you already know, your father and I will be spending the Thanksgiving holiday on our business trip and won't be back till Saturday evening. Sorry we couldn't stay to say goodbye, but we had a flight to catch. Hope you have a splendid holiday.

Love: Mom.

P.S. There's a special surprise waiting in the fridge for both you and your friends, for Thanksgiving.

"A surprise? Really?" The message made him think. Mother and Father were not known for their surprises, especially non-academic ones. So what could this be?

Grabbing the handle, he opened the fridge door, feeling the cool breeze race across his skin. He scanned the items from the top first, his eyes slowly descending as he searched for anything out-of-place. He didn't think. His eyes just automatically stopped. It couldn't be!

His eyes lightened up as though the cool fridge air embraced him as though he were a small lad in the North Pole, meeting Santa Clause for the first time. Over dramatic, there, yes. But still, this was the most unexpected surprise that could have happened all day. Never had Mother and Father entrusted such a task to him before!

"Happy days! Oh, Ed and Eddy will be so overjoyed when I tell them!" he said. Closing the door, he headed upstairs to ready himself for the next day ahead. This would be the best Thanksgiving ever.


Day: Wednesday

The school doors slammed open, Eddy trudged his way into the building. Yesterday's detention was plain unfair! How on earth was he supposed to know Ed would strip off his clothes? And the nerve of the faculty to not at least suspend me for today; today was just a half day, Eddy thought. It's not like anything ever happened on half days.

He rolled his eyes and muttered to himself. "What ever. At least I get out earlier."

Oh! Another reason to not be thankful for anything, thought Eddy, as Ed and Double D approached him, remembering Ed's action from yesterday. He took notice of their features. Ed was prancing like an idiot, having an extra-large smile upon his face waiting to burst from excitement – basically, Ed just being Ed. Double D, however, seemed ecstatic, like he had made the greatest scientific discovery. Which he obviously plans to bore me with, Eddy deduced.

Eddy stared at the two, they just wanting to burst out the excitement. "What?" he asked. "Say something before I pop you?"

Ed was stomping his feet on the ground, unable to contain the joy pent-up inside him. "You won't believe what Double D got."

"What?" Eddy asked again, his eyes upon Edd. Double D cleared his throat and began.

"Well, Eddy, in my fridge, Mother and Father decided to so graciously give us a –"

"Hey, Dork, Double Dork, and Dorky." The three snapped their heads towards Kevin, who grinned when he received their attention.

"Hi, Kevin!" Ed greeted casually.

"What do you want?" Eddy questioned. With full suspicion, his eyes were carefully locked on the jock. He prepped himself for anything the jock might have in stored for him and his friends. Kevin merely smirked as he reached into his own pocket, adding a snort to Eddy's interrogation.

"Is that how you respond to me?" he asked, pulling something from his pocket, "Especially with these?"

Eddy's eyes widened. It just couldn't be. Both he and Double D's eyes locked onto the three envelopes, and with their names written on the front in red ink.

"Are my eyes deceiving me?" asked Double D.

"This has to be a dream," said Eddy. He was bewildered. Kevin never invited him to anything. It looked like he did have something to be thankful for!

"What? What is it?" Ed asked. He looked around the hall with increasing fear, to the point his legs began to tremble. "Has Evil Tim come back to enact his revenge?"

Eddy was uncertain on what to say, but started with, "Are those really our –?"

"Invites to my Thanksgiving party for this Thursday?" Kevin looked at the invites and returned his gaze to the Eds. "What do you know, looks like they are."

Eddy's eyes widened as he jumped into the air. Finally, he and his friends had been invited to the biggest party of the year. Finally, an actual turkey, pumpkin pie, and all that other stuff! And there was more to be thankful for. There'd been rumors flying around about a new jawbreaker flavor that's supposed to be released. One Eddy had learned to be true from when Kevin announced it a week earlier, and that he'll be serving them at his party: pumpkin pie flavored jawbreakers! And a whole year before they're scheduled for a public release! Eddy could already feel the salivary glands in overdrive at the though of tasting on of those sweet, delicate, sugary, pumpkin pie flavored jawbreaker.

"Too bad you dorks aren't invited," Kevin said with a sneer, popping Eddy from his fantasy. The jock began shredding the invites

"Kev, no!" Eddy pleaded. But it was fruitless. Eddy watched with distraught as Kevin dropped the newly made confetti on to the hall's floor.

"See ya' losers." With that, the jock walked off, laughing at his work. "Dorks!"

Eddy had not heard Kevin's departing gift. His eyes and mind too transfixed upon the torn invitations that were being swept away by Double D, along with his hopes.

"The nerve of that Kevin," Double D said. He waltzed over to the trash can and dumped the contents. "To not invite us is one thing, but to toy with us as though we were emaciated animals begging for food? And then proceed to litter? The nerve of him. I should report him to the school principal."

Double D wiped off his hands and joined back up with Ed and Eddy. Ed looked at Double D and smiled. "Do you want ketchup with that?" he randomly asked.

"Oh, who cares?" shouted Eddy, refuting Double D's outburst. "Like he'll do anything anyway. Kevin will just make up some lame-o story and get out of trouble, as usual." Eddy pouted and dropped to his butt. He crossed his arms in depression and sighed.

Double D smiled, knowing what he had to say would brighten his mood. "But at least I still bear good news, Eddy."

"Oh, that's right," Ed said. He chuckled to himself. "You're not going to believe what Double D managed to urbane!"

"That's obtain," said Double D. He carefully enunciated the word so Ed could understand the correction. He focused back to Eddy, who by now was lost at what Double D was saying. "Go ahead. Guess!"

Eddy just looked at Double D, with looks of boredom. "Will you just get on with it, Sockhead?"

Ignoring Eddy's outburst, Double D said, "My parents left us a turkey, Eddy!"

Eddy's eyes widened as though he saw a truck spewing money at him. It couldn't be true. He lunged at Double D and landed upon the boy's chest, grabbing the color of his shirt with both hands. "No foolin'?" he asked. "You actually have a turkey?"

Double D nodded his head. "I speak the truth, gentleman. Tomorrow night, the three of us shall be dining on turkey!" He then looked at the shoes now on his shirt then looked back at Eddy. "Now, can you get off? I think your filthy shoes are staining my shirt," he said with a monotonous tone. "Eddy?"

Eddy did not move. The previous announcement had frozen him in place. "Can I climb on your shirt too, Double D?" Ed asked. He hoped the answer would be yes. Double D just sighed, annoyed by both Eddy's lack of motion and Ed's request.

"We best just head to class, Ed," Double D said, hoping Eddy will regain composure by the time they reach homeroom. He walked down the hall and turned to see Ed not moving. "Coming, Ed?"

"Follow the leader!" he said. Ed jumped on to Double D's back, knocking him and Eddy's to the floor.


"I can practically taste that turkey." Eddy was drooling at the mouth. He hadn't had an oven roasted turkey since he was a toddler, long before Double D had moved in. "I'm drooling. Tell me again, Double D, what kind of turkey is it?"

"Well, Eddy, Mother and Father left us a Pogona brand turkey, weighing approximately ten pounds," repeated Double D. He had to whisper it to him because they were still in class. "And according to the note Father left on the poultry, its defrosting will be completed around 1:04 pm. And as long as Ed doesn't scarf it whole there will be plenty for all three of us, plus leftovers."

"Will there still be potato wedges?" Ed randomly asked.

"Shut up, Lumpy," Eddy commanded.

"Sure am, Eddy," replied Ed.

There was a gruff voice from the front of the room. The Eds looked back at the teacher and regained composure. The teacher resumed his lecture and there was no more commotion caused by the Eds. They would have to wait till after class, which was only ten minutes from now.

The teacher explained the mathematical equations, his words absorbed by the black hole of a mind Ed possessed, to never be acknowledged again, while Eddy just pretended to listen. Eddy yawned as he flipped a page of his magazine. While Double D took a few notes upon the material he already knew, his mind was focused on the Kankers.

They seemed slightly better today than they were yesterday, but they still were troubled. He sighed. After class, he was going to ask if he could offer any assistance.

The class stampeded out of the room the moment the bell rang, all but four that was. "Come on girls, we better get home," Lee said. She sniffled as she uttered her sentence. The three slowly got up from their seats but halfway towards the door they stopped. He looked at Double D standing in their way.

"What do you want?" Lee asked. The irritation was definitely a surprise to Double D. This was more proof that the Kankers weren't well. There was no response from the boy as his legs continued to tremble. Confrontations with the Kankers rarely ended well for him and his friends.

Seconds passed and still no answers from the boy. Marie sighed. "Look, dreamboat, unless you have something to say, say it. We aren't in a very good mood today." Her tone was as irritable as her sister's.

The threes' collective stares seemed to wrap around the boy like that of a hungry serpent ready to consume him whole. He was petrified! The Kankers were hard enough to handle with his friends and he was entirely alone with all three. An entire minute or so had to have passed before he managed to utter something.

"Um, yeah…so," he began. He rubbed the back of his head apprehensively, still uncertain if they were planning something. "I've noticed that the three of you weren't quite yourselves and I thought I ask if I could offer any assistance."

There was almost a gasp from the Kankers. They looked at each other with uncertainty. Under normal circumstances, the three would have lunged like sharks into a kissing frenzy. "You are actually concerned about us?" May questioned.

Lee circled Edd, examining his motives. "Why would you all of a sudden be so concerning of our affairs?" she questioned. Double D began sweating profusely as the eldest Kanker continued circling him. He could see the puffiness in her eyes.

"Well, I saw you three crying and I just wanted to do the right thing and ask how you three were," he said, stuttering just a bit. He swallowed the lump in his throat and regained some composure. "So I ask again: can I offer any assistance?"

"Not unless you can convince the folks not to go out-of-town for Thanksgiving," May blurted. She sobbed afterwards.

"Oh, now looked what you did!" said Lee.

"You made our sister cry! Again," added Marie.

The sudden anger and accusations made Double D quiver. He rarely ever saw the Kankers' angry. "I'm sorry!" he said. "Honestly, I know what you three are going through: both my, Ed's and Eddy's parents head out-of-town for Thanksgiving, along with the rest of the Cul-de-Sac kids."

The Kankers were surprised by the revelation. They hadn't been in their current residence for even a year, so they had not known this. "So your folks ditch you all for Thanksgiving too?" Lee questioned.

"I thought only our parents did this," said May, sniffling a bit.

"So why aren't you and the rest of your pals as upset about this as us?" Marie asked.

"Well," Double D began, not sure how to put it. He knew where this was likely heading and he really didn't want it to go down this path. Ed and, especially, Eddy would be outraged if Double D's fears were realized as to where the nature of this conversation was heading. "Ed, Eddy, and I get together every year and throw our own little Thanksgiving celebration."

There was sudden happiness arising within the Kankers as the three earned more of their gaze. It's as though their amorous instinct had kicked back in. "A Thanksgiving celebration, eh?" Lee questioned.

He was surrounded now!

What do I do? he mentally screamed.

"Tell me, dreamboat, why do ya' feel the need to celebrate?" Marie asked, her face inches from his. She giggled at the end of her sentence, something Double D wasn't sure if he should take as good, they're coming around, or bad, they're coming around. Both?

"And what do you hunks do at your celebration?" May coquettishly inquired, her though now more likely on Ed than the actual discussion. Double D's face was redder than a thermometer on a scorching day.

"He's so cute," Marie stated at Double D's insecurity of the situation.

"Well," he said, twiddling his fingers, "we just hang out, give thanks, and all that."

"And?" Marie questioned. Her face was just an inch away. She flirtatiously blinked towards him. But something else caught his attention. She was pleading. They wanted in on his event.

This sure was a fine mess he dug himself in. What did he do? Ed and Eddy will be outraged if he invites them, but if he doesn't…. He shuddered at the later thought. There were two scenarios that could happen if he didn't: they could either snap back into depression or they could lunge at him with kisses, and then revert back to depression.

But inviting them to my place, he wondered. Who's to say they wouldn't go into a kissing frenzy? Rules. Yes, rules. Conditions, he thought. "Well," he started, "how would you three like to come by at my place, tomorrow? Say, five o'clock?"

Lee and her sisters smiled as they leaned back a bit, giving the boy some breathing room. "Well, it looks like we got ourselves a date, girls," Lee said. She and his sisters cackled.

"On a series of conditions," said Double D. It was now the girls' time to be surprised.

"Conditions?" May asked, mildly offended by that. Double D nervously nodded, trying and failing and trying to appear confident.

"Yes. If you three come, you must agree to leave your amorous shenanigans at home." He shakily handed out his hand to formalize the deal. "Do I have your word?"

The girls looked at each other and smirked. It was Lee who spoke up.

"Why not? Just one night. Alright, you got yourself a deal." She, along with her sisters, simultaneously shook Double D's hand in agreement with the terms. "See you tomorrow."

"See ya' tomorrow night, cutie," said Marie. She followed Lee out the door, added a few air kisses with her flirt.

"Thanks for the invite," May added. She was the last to leave, leaving the boy in a petrified state.

"What have I done?" he whispered to no one.


Thanksgiving Day, 3:00 pm

"And there we go," Double D said. He slid the turkey into the oven and closed the door. He set the timer for exactly three hours, though he knew it may have to stay in longer if it did not meet his expectations. But overall, everything should be ready for six or six-thirty pm.

But now was time to start making the mashed potatoes. The boy grabbed the bag and pulled out a dark brown spud and began peeling the skin away. In their respective homes, Ed and Eddy were likely preparing their own side dishes for the party. Considering the time, Eddy was likely letting the bread air dry, so thereby watching some TV at the moment. He could recall how ecstatic he was, having always wanted to test his stuffing with a turkey. Eddy wanted to bake the stuffing inside the turkey but Double D made it clear he wouldn't allow it, not wanting to risk skewing the internal cooking temperature, thereby allowing any harmful bacteria to survive. The chances of that were low, but better to err on the side of caution.

Lost in his thoughts, as he continued to peel the potato skin away, he contemplated about how he was going to tell his friends about the Kankers. The food was no issue. Even if the girls brought nothing – which he was certain they won't – he and his friends always made food in excess, so that's one worry aside. But the real concern rested on the Kankers' word. He knew that Eddy, for example, was not very reliable when it came to his word. But the Kankers, there was no history of their word, mainly because the need never occurred. The one time their word was put to the test was when he needed to get himself and his friends in the same homeroom and, while it worked in the end, they tricked them into a false classroom – the girls' bathroom. He shuddered at the memory.

"Success!" he cheered, placing the peeled potato into a bowl of water. He brushed the skins aside and resumed his actions with another potato.

Double D jumped, nearly dropping his potato when he heard the door slam open. He snapped his head towards the sound to see Ed walking in. "Hello, Double D," he greeted. "What are you doing?"

Double D smiled. "Why, hello Ed, just peeling the potatoes here. Sarah kick you out of the house?" He noticed that Ed was carrying a brown bag that likely held his gravy making supplies. Ed nodded.

"Yes indeed, Double D. Hope you don't mind that I make my gravy here."

"Not at all, Ed. Feel free to use what you need, and if you need help finding anything feel free to ask." After a quick exchange of words Ed got to work on his gravy and Double D continued peeling the potatoes.


"My man's gonna love this!" Marie said as she dropped a heated, peeled pumpkin into a large bowl, and then proceeded to mash it with her potato masher. She then got hearts in her eyes, sighing happily. "The fact that he cared about our problems."

"I know, huh?" May added. She was mixing cranberries in a pot, dumping several bags of sugar, then stirred. "Nice to know someone cares."

"Pipe down! Can't you see I'm working on something?" Lee asked, dumping a several peeled pumpkins into a large pot. "I got to make sure this is perfect."


5:58 pm

Eddy slammed Double D's door open and waltzed in with his freshly baked stuffing. "I can smell that turkey a mile away."

"Eddy!" hollered Ed, from the couch.

"Is it almost done?" Eddy asked, ignoring Ed. He was salivating, ready to tear into the juicy flesh.

"It still has about an hour, at least," Double D replied. He placed the finished mashed potatoes on the counter, next to Ed's gravy. Both food items were placed in special containers that would keep them nice and hot.

Double D walked over to Eddy to close the door, knowing Eddy wasn't going to. "Like me to place the stuffing with the rest of the food?" he asked.

"As if. This stuffing is my brother's recipe, so only I shall do the handling." Eddy entered the kitchen area, leaving Double D and Ed alone, to place the container next to the mashed potatoes. He began to leave he saw the oven, the temperature set to 325 Fahrenheit. "This should help it cook faster." Eddy reached for the temperature gauge and pressed it until it reached 500 Fahrenheit. "Perfect!"

After a minute, Eddy walked back out to rejoin the Eds.

"So, anything good on?" Eddy asked.

"Why yes, I have A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving waiting in the VCR," Double D replied. Eddy grumbled.

"Charlie who?" he questioned.

"Charlie Brown," reiterated Double D. "I decided to select this for our Thanksgiving show."

"Do we have to?" he asked.

"Aw, come on Eddy. It's supposed to be a classic," said Ed, defending the choice.

Eddy whined a bit. "Fine, get it started." He trudged towards the couch and sat on the opposite side of Ed.

Double D began to twiddle his fingers. "Yeah, about that." All eyes were on him. "You see, I expect more company."

"Company?" Ed asked.

"Yeah, what company? Aren't we company enough?" Eddy watched Double D with suspicion. He got off the couch and now stood before him. "Well, who is it?" As Double D began stuttering Eddy got the idea. "Oh, I see. It's Nazz!"

Double D so wanted to scream. It was not Nazz who was coming. He tried to speak but some force seemed to be enacting upon him by stopping his vocal cords from working.

"About time she decided to ditch old Shove-Head," Eddy said. He smirked, bearing his teeth in a flirtatious smile as he rubbed his hair back and applied some breath spray.

"Do you think she'll have potato wedges?" Ed asked.

The doorbell rang.

"And it looks like she's arrived," Eddy announced. He frolicked to the door.

Double D was shaking louder than a rattle. He tried to call Eddy's name but came out so butchered it was unintelligible. Ed wrapped his arm around him to give a tight hug. "Do not worry, Double D. I'm sure Nazz will have enough potato wedges to go around."

Eddy leaned on the wall, doing a few breathing exercises. Opening the door, he flashed another flirtatious smile. "Why, hello beautiful."

The giggling told Eddy who was really at the door. His eyes nearly shot out of his head. "Aw, about time my man learned how to treat a lady," Lee said.

"Kanker!" Eddy slammed the door shut, his scream echoing with Ed's as he jumped back several feet.

"Run!" Ed cried. Double D tried to calm them but was all in vain.

Despite the adrenaline coursing through his veins, Eddy saw Ed dive into the sofa and followed his example. "Make room for me!"

Double D took a breath and went to the door. "I'm so sorry about that. Please come in." He nervously gestured them in. From underneath the cushions Ed and Eddy were watching their friend with a mixture of horror, confusion, and betrayal.

"Mind that I take these off your hands, ladies?" Double gestured to pumpkin pie Marie was holding, the cranberry sauce May was holding, and the large paper grocery bag Lee was carrying.

"No thanks," May replied.

"Just tell us where we can put these," Marie said. The three girls couldn't help but snicker at Double D's nervousness.

"Oh, right. Just put them on the counter, next to the other food items." The girls did as instructed. "Now, please take your time."

Double D yelped when he found himself dragged over to the sofa, by Eddy. "What do you think you're doing, letting them in uninvited?" he asked. His body was trembling. "That's a Kanker you let into your home!"

"Yeah, Double D. Don't you know Kankers' can't enter someone's home to drain your blood without permission?"

"Ed, that's a vampire. And I did invite them, Eddy."

Eddy snapped. "You what?"

"Calm down, Eddy. If you'll just let explain –"

"Explain what, Sockhead? That you backstabbed us?"

"Now Eddy, come on, you should have seen them," Double D said. "They were crying. I had to do something."

"No you didn't," Eddy retorted. "It was none of your business to get involved."

"Now how can you possibly be so harsh? Everyone has the right to be happy on Thanksgiving."

"I feel funny," Ed said. Feminine giggles emanated from under the cushions, along with three pairs of eyes staring at the two Eds.

Ed and Eddy screamed as they jumped out of the sofa and hid behind Double D. The Kankers now stood where the two Eds were hiding. "Hi ya', boys," greeted the Kankers, in a flirtatious tone.

"Remember the deal."

"Don't worry Double D," Marie replied. "We remember the deal."

Eddy was shaking like a frightened puppy, as was Ed, as they tried to keep hidden behind Double D. "What deal?" Eddy asked.

"Oh, that will keep our amor…lamore…" Giving up on trying to pronounce the word, Lee grabbed a thesaurus to look up its pronunciation, "…amorous shenanigans at home."

"Yup, that was the deal. I remember!" May piped.

Lee knelt down to Double D, her sisters doing the same. "So, what were you all about to do before we showed up?" Lee asked.

"Well," Double D began, "we were just about to watch A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving."

"That's it?" May asked.

"Well, afterwards we begin brainstorming some of our scams for the winter season," said Double D.

"Boring!" Marie said as she plopped herself on the couch.

"Yeah, where's the excitement?" May questioned. "We should play board games."

"No way!" Eddy shouted, leaving the safety from being behind Double D. "We already have A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving ready to watch!" He crossed his arms and pouted. "And I hate board games."

"Ooh, I know!" May said. "How about charades?"

Eddy perked up when an idea came to mind. "How 'bout spin the bottle?"

The Kankers' widened their smiles upon hearing this. Double D leaned himself into Eddy's ear. "Eddy, I don't feel that's such a good idea."

"Why?"

"Do I really have to explain it?" Eddy looked to where Double D's eyes pointed to. The Kankers were already applying lipstick. Sweat cascaded down Eddy's face at the thought.

"I mean…win the bottle. Yeah, I hate spin the bottle."

"Karaoke?" Marie asked.

"How about we all go scuba diving?" Ed said, earning perplexed looks from everyone.

"Where, Ed?" Eddy questioned.

Ed put his finger beneath his lip to think. Peach Creek had no large body of water to do such an activity. A light bulb metaphorically and literally appeared above his head before it flickered out. He flicked it back into lighting. "Planet Neptune!"

Eddy groaned. He was getting annoyed by the arguments. "How about we just eat?"

"Turkey's not done yet," Double D explained.

"Hey, I know what we can do to pass the time." Lee smiled as she reached into her pocket, pulling out one of her favorite games. "How about a nice game of chess?"

"You actually carry a board game around?" Double D inquired, dumbfounded as to why she did this.

Eddy merely huffed. "No different to the luffa you carry around." Marie giggled at Eddy's remark, making the prodigy blush in slight embarrassment.

"Let's go to Jurassic Park!" Ed said. Now everyone was officially ignoring Ed.

Eddy snapped his fingers. The idea was gold! "Let's work on a scam! I got a good one just to get back at Kevin. If we hurry –"

"Scamming on Thanksgiving?" Lee was mortified, as well as her sisters. "How do you live with yourself?"

"Says you!" Eddy exclaimed.

Double D was really beginning to get fed up at the escalating arguments. It was just a matter of time before it boiled over. He just had to avert the oncoming crisis.

"Ladies, gentlemen, please! I understand that our past together is coarse at best, but come on, it's Thanksgiving, and I'm certain that the viewers of this story have better to do than to watch us argue. Can't we at least try to get along and act a little more civilized, and find some common ground?" Double paced around to think when a bolt of brilliance struck. "I got it! How about we make a list of things we're all thankful for?"

"No movie?" Ed asked, beginning to whine.

Double D sighed. "Perhaps at the end of the story, alright?" Ed nodded happily. "So, a list of things we're thankful for, yes?"

Eddy crossed his arms and scoffed the notion. "Well that's stupid! Like I said before, what do we have to be thankful for?"

Eddy's ears caught the sound of cheering outside. He raced to the window to see the commotion, his eyes narrowed at the scene. In the center of the Cul-de-Sac was an elongated table draped with a white, silk cover. The table's centerpiece was cornucopia filled with fruits. A vast array of foods decorated the table top: three large oven roasted turkeys, enough corn to feed a cow, several pies, and, next to the cornucopia, the coveted pumpkin pie jawbreakers. And everyone he knew was there, Rolf, Johnny, Plank, Jimmy, Sarah, Nazz, and of course Kevin, who was holding a large knife.

"Who's ready for some turkey?" The kids cheered as Kevin began to slice off a piece of meat. His and Eddy's eyes locked on to each other. The jock stuck out his tongue and Eddy's groaned, clenching his fist as he slid the curtain over.

"Well, Eddy, you are a direct descendant of those who first colonized Peach Creek," said Double D with emphasis, drawing his attention from the window, and trying to get him to see there's so much to be thankful for.

"Hmmph. Yeah, before they lost it in a gambling bet to your ancestors!" Eddy said. He pointed his finger of accusation towards the Kankers, Lee in particular.

Lee merely folded her arms across her chest and scoffed. "Our ancestors won it fair and square, little man!"

"Yeah, not our problem that Sire Edmond couldn't help his gambling habit," Marie added. May nodded in agreement. Eddy gasped.

"You take that back!" Smoke poured from Eddy's nostrils.

Double D raced in between him and the Kankers. "Eddy! Ladies! Please settle down. Fighting and arguing isn't going to settle anything." Double D's reasoning wasn't penetrating the fuming children.

"I smell the burning carcasses from the Planet Volcon!" Proclaimed Ed.

Ed was somewhat right. There was a faint smell of warm, acrid fumes tainting the air around them. It was thick and the air was getting duller. Double D screeched in horror! "The turkey!" He and the others realized the horrible truth that the turkey was burning!

They all raced into the kitchen and saw the thick, black cloud billowing from the oven as it rose onto the ceiling, painting the walls and air with its toxic substance. Eddy screamed. "Fire!"

"We're gonna be burned alive!" yelled a frantic May.

"Everyone, please stay calm!" Double D instructed. Oven gloves on, he turned the oven off and released the black cloud as he removed the charcoal remains of the turkey, dumping it on the floor.

Ed raced into the room with a fire extinguisher, spraying the turkey with the white foam that shot out of the nozzle. "Die you smoldered demon of the netherworld!" Ed smiled when he finished, leaving a white, foamy mess behind. "I saw that in movie once."

May had hearts in her eyes. She leaned into Ed's chest, flirtatiously. "My hero."

Ed screeched. "Ah! Kanker!" He sprayed May with the fire extinguisher, the foam hurtling her onto the wall.

"Now look what you lousy, no good Kankers did!" said Eddy, his brows deepened into a harsh scowl as he accused the three. He gestured to the charred, foam covered turkey with his hand.

"What we did?" questioned Lee. She stared down her love through the thick curls of her hair.

"Yes, what you did!" repeated Eddy.

"Excuse me, but we did nothin'," said Marie. She marched over to the scene and placed her hands upon her hips.

After prying herself off the wall, May flailed her arms into the air as she arrived onto the scene, still covered with some of the foam. "Yeah, we may cause lots of problems, but this isn't one of them!"

"Well it isn't my fault!" Eddy said.

"Nor mine!" Lee stated.

"Who wants a lasagna?" Ed asked.

"Well it wasn't mine!" Marie added.

"Or mine," May said.

"Can you all keep quite?" Double D asked, his voice piercing their ruckus. "Now, can someone please explain how this could have possibly happened?" He gestured to charred remains of what was supposed to be their dinner. "I don't understand, the turkey was nowhere near completion when I last checked on it. So how could it have possibly been burnt to a crisp?"

Eddy began to panic. He was the last one in the kitchen, minus the Kankers, and knew they would correctly place the blame on him. What was he to do? Something clicked in Eddy. He sighed, knowing what he had to do. "It's all your fault!"

Double D flinched upon Eddy's accusation, his finger pointed toward his direction. "What? My fault?" He stepped back as Eddy stomped towards him, his finger now pressed against Double D's chest when he was backed onto the counter.

"That's right, your fault! If you hadn't invited those Kankers none of us would be in this mess!" Double D trembled before Eddy.

Ed broke down in tears, dropping to his knees to approach Eddy. He cried into Eddy's shirt. "Say it isn't true, Eddy! I was with Double D all after noon and all appeared fine."

"Sorry, Ed, but it's all Sockhead's fault."

"Knock it off, Eddy," commanded Marie. "There's no way Double D could made this kind of mistake."

May was uncertain, however. She looked at the scene and shook her head. She approached Eddy. "For once, I have to agree with Eddy! This is Double D's house so he should have known what was going on."

"May!" Marie stomped her way towards her sister threateningly. "You take that back."

May shook her head. "No, Eddy was right earlier that Double D should have stayed out of our business. We go through crummy Thanksgivings every year but we always recovered the next day with our own traditions."

"You know, that is true," Lee stated. She was now in the group to surround Double D. "This whole mess was Double D's fault."

Marie gasped in utter shock. "Lee?"

Double D was on the verge of tears. "Fine! I guess since you all seemed to have casted your judgments, it is my fault."

"I knew it!" Eddy said. Now he was cleared of his crime.

"Yeah, because I wanted everyone to be happy. The fact I wanted everyone to know how thankful they truly are. The fact I wanted to help those who were in need." Now Double D was crying. "Perhaps I was wrong and I'm the one who has nothing to be thankful for, for being a horrible friend!"

Double D charged out of the room leaving a trail of tears behind. Everyone left in the kitchen cringed when they heard the door to his room slam shut, leaving them to reflect upon the verbal actions.

"Oh, now look what you Kankers did!"

"What we did?" Lee retorted, greatly offended by Eddy's outburst. "You're the one who accused him!"

Soon the room erupted into an all out argument.

"Oh, where could things have gone so wrong?" Ed asked aloud. He continued to cry at the escalating fight between Eddy, Marie, Lee, and May. "All seemed fine before Eddy arrived and spent an unusual amount of time dropping off his stuffing in the kitchen!" The commotion quieted down as every began to look at Ed, Marie in particular.

"What was that?"

"The kitchen?" he replied, uncertain as to what Marie wanted.

Marie shook her head. "No, before that."

"Um, where could things have gone wrong?" he responded. Marie sighed in exasperation. Eddy was sweating as he nervously sidled closer to the living room. He had a got feeling where this was heading and needed to get away.

"Allow me," Lee said. She approached Ed and pressed down on his head with her two fingers, stopping when she heard an audible click and the sound of Ed's words rewinding themselves like a VCR. Once a minute or two passed she removed her fingers from Ed's forehead and Ed repeated what he said early, along with the crying.

"All seemed fine before Eddy arrived and spent an unusual amount of time dropping off his stuffing in the kitchen!" Ed stared into oblivion. "I like butter toast."

"What do you think it could mean?" May questioned. Lee and Marie pondered over the recording. Eddy and unusual amount of time in the kitchen?

Lee hummed silently. She glanced back to Eddy who was just inches from exiting the room, but froze upon eye contact. He flashed a wave, bearing a large smile. Lee glared at him, as though Eddy's deeds were conveyed to her by his eyes. "You little fake," Lee started, her tone unusually dark towards her crush. She earned the attention of her sisters and Ed.

"What? Me?" Eddy asked. Eddy began shaking at Lee's approach. This was not a normal Ed and Kanker encounter. Normally the trembling was caused be the Kankers' constant flirting towards him, but Lee was radiating malice and disappointment.

"You're the one who burnt the turkey, weren't you?" she asked. Her tone had steadily risen until yelling the last two words. Gasps filled the air. Eddy's head had sunken into his shirt, literally. "And you used your conniving ways to pin the rap all on Double D, too!" The girls and Ed gasped.

"Um." Eddy was cornered. His lies had officially come to the light!

"I knew it!" Lee announced.

"Eddy, how could you?" Ed asked before crying into his hands.

"Why, wait till I wrap my hands around your neck for making Double D cry!" Marie said with scorn. She marched towards Eddy, every step pounding the floor. Before the pounding came, Marie found herself dragged back by Lee. "What are you doing?"

"I have a better idea," Lee stated. "Out of all of us, Double D was the one who embodied the meaning of the holiday better than all of us combined and we crushed him like a bug. So we're gonna correct this little disaster."

"So what are you getting at, Lee?" May questioned.

Eddy trembled at the smirk Lee gave him, grabbing the kid by his three hairs. "Well, for one, Eddy here is going to admit his lies and apologize."

Eddy looked quizzically at her. "That's it?"

"But first, you're gonna help us clean up and re-prepare the Thanksgiving feast," Lee stated. "Marie, grab the shovel. May, the sponges. Ed, the bucket and gloves. We got cleanup to do. Eddy, you're with me," she said, maliciously with a hint of flirting, laughing at the end of her speech. Eddy could only shake in fright at what Lee could be implying.


The commotion from downstairs had long since died down, or at least wasn't audible to his ears as his sobbed on the dampened pillow. But he didn't care any more as the darkness and emptiness surrounded him, his emotions lying in total disarray in contrast to his unsullied room. How long had he been here? An hour perhaps? Oh why should I care? he thought, as his sobs continued.

There was a knock at the door. When there was no indication he planned to answer, the knock repeated itself. "Go away," he commanded in between the sobs.

"Knock! Knock!" hollered Ed. His pounding on the door actually left a splintered hole. Ed reached his hand through and unlocked the door, only for it to fling open when Marie kicked it. Ed moaned from the slight pain of his arm hitting the wall, but overall he's fine.

Marie was heart-broken seeing her crush in such despair. From the light flooding the room, she and Ed could see the red, puffiness of Double D's eyes from the excessive crying. "Oh, Double D," Marie called. She hugged him.

"No more crying, Double D, for I, Ed, and Marie bring good, um. Hold on one second, please." Ed reached into his pocket and pulled out note card. He cheered at having remembering his line. "For I, Ed, and Marie bring good news!"

Double D sniffled. "What?"

"You heard right. We all worked together to repair Thanksgiving," Marie said. Before Double D could question further he gasped when Marie yanked him out of bed, dragging him out the room with Ed following behind.

"Let's hurry!" she said.

Entering the kitchen Double D was surprised by the loud "Happy Thanksgiving!" that cheered through the room. Double D stared in disbelief. The charred turkey was removed and the foam from the fire extinguisher thoroughly wiped off the floor and wall. The table had been draped with an orange Thanksgiving themed tablecloth, and topped off with lit candles, and the various foods his friends and the Kankers had brought over. Also on the table were chicken fingers and potato wedges to replace the turkey. Double D walked over to the table is astonishment. "You guys did all this? Why?"

"What can we say?" Lee asked. "We were nothin' but jerks when we arrived, taking you and all the nice things you've done for us for granted."

"Yup," Eddy said as he silently inched away. "So, I guess we should eat."

"Nah ah, ah," May said, before Lee grabbed Eddy and dragged him to Double D's direction.

"You still have some things to say, mister."

Double D looked at the scene, unsure what to think. "Eddy, what does Lee mean?"

Lee let go of him and Eddy sighed. He knew there was no way of getting out of this. And even if he did run the others would surely tell. So he admitted it. "What was that, Eddy?" Double D asked, unable to translate his muttering.

"I said it was all my fault. There, you happy?" Eddy could feel the tears rolling down his face. He actually felt remorse for his actions: ruining the dinner, pinning the blame on Double D, everything! He had never felt this way before. He lunged himself towards Double D's feet. "I'm so sorry Double D. I rose the oven temperature so that the turkey would cook faster. I never meant to nearly burn down the house, honest! And now it's all my fault the holiday was completely ruined!"

"You mean you burned the turkey?" Eddy wasn't shocked by the anger in Double D's tone, but he still flinched. He deserved his wrath. He didn't deserve to have anything to be thankful for now! He waited for Double D to demand Ed to throw him out. But it never came. Perhaps Double D still wasn't done yelling?

He looked up to see his angered friend only to realize he wasn't mad? Double D wasn't happy, that's for sure. He was breathing deeply, letting the anger flow out in a non-harmful way. "You really mean that, Eddy?" Double D asked softly. "You're actually sorry?"

Eddy glanced up to his friend hesitantly. "Yeah. Now what are you waiting for? Aren't you gonna throw me out?"

"Now why would I do that?"

Eddy stepped back. Double D wasn't angry anymore. "What's going on? Aren't you mad?"

"Yes, I am still mad. But your apology, Eddy, was all I needed to forgive you."

"What?" Eddy was completely speechless. The rest of the kids were just as speechless as well. "But how? How can you forgive me just like that?"

May walked towards the two. "Yeah Double D, how can you forgive him that easily?"

Double D chuckled a bit. "Because we're friends, and friends forgive each other. And Eddy," he called, waiting till he had his attention, "Thanksgiving isn't ruined. Look what you and the others did."

Double D gestured to the table. "You, Ed, Marie, Lee, and May came together, putting aside your differences to amend a wrong. That Eddy, as well as thankfulness is the meaning of Thanksgiving. It's not about the food, or movies, or games, and all that. Just merely coming together in thankfulness is what it takes."

Eddy smiled, feeling a great burden lifted off his chest. "I think I finally feel thankful for something," he said to himself.

"That's splendid Eddy!" said Double D. "Now, why don't we all eat before the food gets cold?"

Everyone cheered.

Everyone now had a serving of chicken fingers, potato wedges, mashed potatoes, and stuffing, with the other sides still waiting to be obtained. But the food still remained untouched. Double D stood up, tapping his glass with a fork to grab everyone's attention. He cleared his throat. "Good evening everyone, before we begin our feast, I feel we should start off with a quick prayer."

The Kankers looked on with confusion; they had never done a prayer before.

"Do we have to?" Eddy asked.

"Come on Eddy, we do this every year." Eddy relented to Double D's request and stood up. They all joined hands. Double D thought for a moment, thinking as to what he should say. "Dear, Heavenly Father, we come humbly before you to give thanks for this meal you have so graciously provided for us. Lord, I want to start with a round of thanks; so thank you for my friends, showing me that no matter the situation may be we will always stick together through thick and thin, and always work out our differences which bind us all as friends til the very end. Ed."

Ed nodded. "God, I wanted to, um, say thank you for my friends who accept me as who I am. I know I am not the smartest person in the Cul-de-Sac, but with my friends I feel as every bit important, knowing I have a place I belong. I am also thankful for my baby sister, Sarah. May."

May thought for a second, a little lost. But some how, she knew exactly what to do. "Um, God, I wanted to say thank you for my sisters, and for the chance to be here tonight. I know that tonight didn't start off right, but I am truly thankful that you led the night into the proper path. Marie."

She smiled. "God, thank you for the opportunity to be here. I know with the actions I have done in the past, I in no way deserved the kindness of Double D even inviting me, or my sisters, here. So I truly am grateful for you opening Double D's heart to see us as human beings that were in need of help. Thank you God." She paused to wipe a few tears away. "Lee."

Lee nodded and took a second to think of something. "God, I humbly thank you for everything. Like my sisters, I truly am grateful for my sisters and for the kindness Double D has shown us. I thank you Lord for helping me and my friends to see the error of our ways so that we help could fix up some of the mistakes we made here tonight and help a friend in need. Eddy."

Eddy sweated a little, uncertain as to what to say. They eyes were all on him as they patiently waited for him to say what he was thankful for. He took a breather and spoke, but this time he would truly mean what he was about to say. "God, I thank you for showing me what great friends I truly have. I ruined the turkey dinner, pinned the blame on Double D, and turned everyone against him. For all I know, I deserve to be watching this dinner go on from outside, staring through the window with nothing to be thankful for. So I'm thankful for my friends that you led me to, or led to me: Ed, Double D, Lee, Marie, and May. We don't always get along, but things always work out in the end. And it's that I am truly thankful for. So thank you, God."

Double D smiled at Eddy's words, as had the rest of the kids. The Kankers even blushed from having been called friends. Double D was nearly too choked up to continue, but he still managed to find the strength. "And in Jesus' name we pray…"

"Amen!" they all said in unison. They all sat back down and began to eat. For the first time, the Eds and the Kankers were able to be in each others company without conflict.

Later that evening, the six on them were all sharing the sofa, rubbing their enlarged stomachs as the food continued to digest. "I think we're gonna have to join a gym or somethin'," May said.

"Yeah right, your weight would break the exercise equipment," Lee stated. Her quip earned laughter from everyone.

"All set backs aside, this was a joyous evening, and I'm glad that you three were able to join us," Double D said. The Kankers' blushed.

"Oh, come on, stop it. I'm blushing," Marie said, giving a beckoning gesture with her fingers, encouraging him to say more.

"I was meaning to ask, did you Kankers make all that?" Eddy asked. The three nodded.

"All homemade from scratch," May announced proudly.

"No way, I must know the recipe!" Ed said.

Marie shook her head apologetically. "Sorry, but the recipe is top secret."

Ed was saddened by the news but he understood.

"Speaking of secrets, I'll be right back," Lee said. She walked out of the living room and entered the kitchen. A cold chill brushed against everyone's skin. The window was open. Because of the smoke from earlier the windows were opened to air out the house. But now it was getting too cold. "Eddy, can you please close the window?"

"Sure." He got up and walked to the window. Just when he was about to close it he heard screaming. He looked outside to see the kids screaming in total disgust. Some were scrubbing their tongues while others were puking in the bushes. Eavesdropping, Eddy laughed at hearing that it was Kevin's pumpkin pie jawbreakers that got everyone sick. Apparently they had a foul taste to them. Finished watching, he closed the window and pulled the curtain closed, then walked back to the couch.

Lee walked back in and cleared her throat. She was holding a paper bag. "Gentleman, in this bag is something we want to share with you." Marie and May walked over to her. "This is something we never shared out of the Kanker household before and we are certain that the three of you will love them. Tata!" She reached in and pulled out a light brown orb. Eddy's eyes widened. It couldn't be!

"Behold the Kankers' pumpkin pie flavored jawbreaker!" Lee proclaimed.

"You're kidding?" Eddy said, unable to believe them.

"So cool!" Ed stated.

"But how?" Double D asked, eyeing the sumptuous orbs. "Only the Jawbreaker Factory knew how to make them." Eddy chortled knowing that wasn't true.

"Nope," Marie said.

"We having been making these for years," Lee said. She put one in Eddy's hands before putting one in her own mouth. "Go ahead, try one."

Marie and May each handed their respective love interest a jawbreaker before treating themselves. The Eds looked at each other, uncertain about this. Taking the first taste, Eddy slowly put it into his mouth. His taste buds had opened with delight! "This is the tastiest thing I've ever eaten!"

"Me next!" Ed said. He threw the orb into the air and caught it with his tongue, wrapping his taste buds around it and savoring the taste. Now was Double D's turn. He placed the orb into his mouth and was sent down the sweet path of delight.

"These are absolutely scrumptious! In all my years I never once came across something this delectable!"

The Kankers enjoyed the compliments. "And we'll gladly take that as a compliment," May said.

"I can't wait for next year," Eddy announced.

"Next year?" the Kankers' asked.

Eddy sighed. "Yes, next year."

"And it looks like we have a new Thanksgiving tradition," Double D proudly said.

Ed came prancing into the group. "I so love happy endings. I say we celebrate with a movie!"

"Very well, do we have any suggestions?" Double D asked. "That's if the Kankers would like to stay, and perhaps play some board games after?"

Lee thought about it, rubbing her chin. "I don't know? What do you girls have to say?"

May eagerly raised her hand in agreement. "I'm in!" She raced to the couch and took her seat, followed by Marie.

"You can count me in, too," Marie said.

"Looks like we're in," Lee stated, taking a seat on the sofa.

"Let's put on Charlie Brown!" Ed said, plopping himself onto the sofa, right next to May. Double D grabbed the remote as he sat next to Marie. Eddy and Lee were the last to sit down. With everyone seated, Double D pressed the play button and they watched the show, peacefully together.


I hope you all liked the story. I apologize if anything seemed a bit dull and rushed. But overall, I hope that this story was well received. So again, please keep all comments, praise or criticism, respectful.

Hope you all have a happy Thanksgiving!