Holiday Memories Chapter 1

Thanksgving

Grace Warbucks had always looked forward to the holiday season, because that's when she saw her family the most. She loved spending time with them. She was amazed that her oldest daughter would be heading off to collage in three years, and also a little sad. She still had her three younger children, but Molly would be heading into high school just as Annie was leaving. Her younger two were just about to turn three, so she knew she still had a little while with her younger children, but she was going to miss Annie and Molly so much. Her family was going to visit for the Thanksgiving holiday, as well as Oliver's family and her daughter's birth families. Grace was so glad that her daughters were able to get to know a little about where they came from. Molly was a little mad at her birth parents when she first met them, but she was able to forgive them and love them as she loved Oliver and Grace.

"Mom, when is everyone coming here?" Molly asked her mother on Sunday.

"Well, aunt Jen and Aunt Melissa are flying in tomorrow and Daddy's family is coming in on Wednseday. I haven't heard anyhting from your side of the family or Annie's, but I'm sure they'll make plans to visit us."

Molly smiled. "Okay, Mom,"

Grace felt an inkling of sadness when she heard Molly say that. Up until now, Molly had always called Grace 'Mommy' or 'Mama', but as she grew older she thought she was too old to call her mother that. Grace knew that Molly didn't really care about what she called her mother, but the kids in school told her that it did matter. Annie was really surprised to hear about this and was worried about what else the kids at school were telling her. Molly was a very intelligent girl, but she also was naive and Annie didn't want anyone manipulating her little sister. Molly secretly felt horribly guilty for doing this to her mother, but she was just afraid the kids in school would make fun of her if she continued to call Grace 'Mommy'. She remembered the day they told her to call her Mom. She'd accidentally forgotten her English report at home and Grace had come to drop it off at her class.

"Thanks, Mommy," Molly said, kissing her mother on the cheek.
"Of course, sweetheart,"
The kids next to her were snickering in their seats. Molly turned to them.
"What?" She asked.
"You still call your Mom 'mommy'?" A girl named Claire asked, still snickering a little.
"Yeah. Why?"
"Don't you think you're a little old to call her that?"
"No. I've always called her that. Do you guys think I shouldn't?"
"Yeah. Call her Mom," Claire said.
Molly nodded slowly. "Okay,"

That afternoon after school, Molly decided to talk to Annie about what had happened in school that morning after Grace dropped off her report. Molly thought it was stupid to have to stop calling her mother by the name she'd always called her.

"What should I do, Annie? I don't want them to make fun of me, but I don't want to be mean to Mom,"
"Molly, if you want to keep calling Mom 'mommy', then you should. They have no right to tell you what or what not to call her. It's your choice, Molly,"
"But what if they make fun of me?"
"Then ignore them, Find other people, Molly. I'm sure they're not the only people in your grade,"
"I don't know, Annie. They seem like really nice people and I want to be friends with them,"
"If you say so, Molly."
Annie didn't want her sister to listen to these people, but she didn't know how to convince her sister to listen to her. Molly had become very independent lately and wanted to do her own thing, and Annie was afraid that something would happen with these girls she was socializing with. Annie wasn't sure what had happened to her old friends, who had seemed to drop off of the face of the planet since middle school had started. Annie was worried about her sister and wondered if she was getting mixed in with the wrong crowd. Grace had noticed this, too, and hoped her daughter would make the friends that were right for her. She was excited that the holiday season was right around the corner and was excited that she got to spend quality time with her family.