A lot of characters are in this chapter and it's longer than the others. Thanks for the reviews. I greatly appreciate them. For any Pretty Little Liars fans out there, see if you can recognize the Haleb line. Read on for the Thanksgiving dinner!
"Happy Thanksgiving!"
"Happy Thanksgiving, Sharon," Lena greeted as Stef's mother walked through the door with a bundle of guests.
Ever since Sharon had moved within the San Diego area, she was coming over a lot more often and inviting others to events with the sole purpose of being FAMILY gatherings.
"Hello, darling; this is Sarah, Tina, Carol and her husband, John; that's Gary… he's my gardener; there's Jenny, Brie, Nicole, but you can call her Nikki, and Fae," Sharon pointed to her friends one by one introducing them.
"Okay," Lena half-heartedly smiled as she finished, "well make yourselves comfortable, we have appetizers, and dinner should be ready soon."
"Hey B; Happy Thanksgiving," Mike greeted Brandon just outside the living room.
"Hey Dad; Happy Thanksgiving," Brandon said hugging his father.
"They got the game on?"
"No, the girls wanted to watch the AMA's," Brandon explained.
"Ahh," Mike contemplated, "I'll be out in the yard if you need me."
"Gotcha," Brandon slowly nodded.
"Hey, did you just get here," Mariana asked noticing a figure as she looked into her mirror?
"Yeah, you're mom said you were up here," Zac said.
Zac had moved back to San Diego last year after his dad got a job offer in the vicinity. He was nervous about moving back. He and Mariana hadn't talked since their breakup her sophomore year. The distance was too tough and they'd agreed to part ways. The day that he came back, Mariana didn't believe it was him; she bumped into him at the local gas station and they got back together that week.
"Is that a new outfit," he asked her?
Mariana had taught him well. Most guys wouldn't notice there girlfriend's new ensemble, but after Mariana dragged him along on numerous shopping sprees with her closet items memorized, Zac could tell if she'd obtained a new item down to the bracelet.
"Yeah, I went to the mall with Britney and Hope yesterday"
(Or as Zac liked to call them 'Brat-ney' and 'Despair').
"Why do you hang out with them? Those girls are mean."
"You sound like my mom. I thought you wouldn't be coming 'til later," Mariana changed the subject.
"No, my dad usually goes out to dinner with his girlfriend on Thanksgiving."
Mariana looked up at him eyes full of concern. She brought his lips to hers and kissed him.
"Come on, help me with my hair," Mariana turned back to her mirror grabbing an elastic band.
"You are turning me into your girlfriend."
"So, do you wanna come over tomorrow? My parents are going out of town," Jesus' girlfriend leaned against his torso?
"Oh yeah?"
"Yeah," the blonde whispered against his lips.
"Hey," Jesus exclaimed a little too close to her ears as he noticed the door swing open!
"Hey," Emma walked over with a dish of her mother's famous kugel! "Where can I put this?"
"Let's go ask my mom," he took a step in front of her leading her to the kitchen leaving the blonde to lean against the staircase alone.
"Hey, Lena wants to know if you can run out to pick up a pie or something for dessert," Callie said appearing in Brandon's doorway.
Brandon nodded at the request. "I don't know how much longer I can do this, Callie. I need to touch you," Brandon whispered gently taking her hands.
"I know, it's hard for me too, but I don't know if it's good timing. I mean your moms are down there cooking dinner for 20 people," she exclaimed.
"Our moms," Brandon corrected her.
"…I feel so guilty," Callie expressed after a moment.
"For what."
"For this," she let go of his hands. Your mom told me yesterday that I could come to her for anything. How's she gonna feel once she knows we've been going behind her back?"
"Not any different than she has... Callie, nothing could change the way they feel about you… the way I feel about you. Come here," Brandon enveloped her into a comforting hug.
"My trip to New York was just amazing," the blonde bragged.
"Well aren't you just fabulous," Emma mocked?
The blonde did not look pleased.
"Hey, that's ironic you're named after 'The City of Love' and you went to 'The Empire State.' I mean, how funny would it have been if Paris was in Paris," Emma laughed to herself.
(…) "No, no one thinks that's funny," Emma said after no one joined in.
"No," Paris answered bluntly grabbing her strawberry flavored water.
"Hey, buddy, do you need something," Lena asked frantically getting the food in order in the kitchen.
"No, just wanted to know if you needed any help," Jude answered her sitting down on a stool.
"No, I'm good, kiddo. Thanks. Don't you wanna rest upstairs until dinner's ready," Lena asked the ill child after a moment?
"No, I'd rather be down here with everybody."
"…Did you ever want kids when you were younger," Jude asked breaking the silence?
Lena was caught off guard as she was seasoning the turkey. "Um… yeah, I did. I would imagine what my life would be like. I planned my wedding when I was 10, decided how many kids I wanted when I was 13. And now I have Stef and you guys. It's everything I ever wanted," Lena said returning to her seasoning.
"But did you ever want real kids," Jude inquired, "you know like a baby of your own?"
Lena looked at him and she wanted to cry. "Hey, you are all the realest kids I could've ever asked for. I may not have given birth to you, but you're the 5 greatest gifts a mother could ever receive and to be honest, I did imagine my life differently when I was younger, but my life has turned out far greater than I could've ever dreamed. And you guys are a huge part of that."
"Okay," Jude nodded after a moment and got up. "You're a really great mom, too," he said turning back.
Jude passed Dana on his way out uttering a 'hi' as he did so.
"Honey have you been crying," she asked her daughter.
"Huh, yeah…no," she answered wiping her tears.
"Well, make sure you fix your make-up before walking out there. You have guests," Dana said passing her and reaching for some soap, as Lena shook her head at her mother's remark.
"Alright, everyone, today is a day in which we can give thanks for all the things, and people we have and I'm thankful for every one of you," Lena said furrowing her brows as she looked around at all the unfamiliar faces, which earned a laugh from the table.
"I know I'm thankful for every one of you," Sharon interjected, "especially you Gary. Where would my plants be without you?" That also earned a laugh from the table.
"Dig in everybody," Lena announced earning cheers as chatter broke out among everyone.
The table was decked with food on a wonderfully embroidered table cloth. Everyone had barely any breathing room and the family had to bring fold up chairs from downstairs.
"So, how's college treating you, Callie," Dana asked making light conversation?
"It's good. I mean as good as it can be, I guess."
"I remember my time at college. I didn't have to follow my parents' rules anymore; I really enjoyed the freedom," Dana said sipping her wine.
"Yeah, well I mean it's not all fun and games. I have a lot of responsibility," Callie stated.
"Callie has her own apartment," Lena interjected.
"When I go to college, I'm gonna get my own apartment," Mariana said. "I can't wait to get out of high school."
"It's not all it's cracked up to be, Mariana," Callie told her. "It's still kinda like high school, except not," she finished weakly.
"Yeah, partying every night, sleeping in 'til noon… it's exactly like high school," Jesus joked.
"Hey, you won't be partying every night if I have anything to say about it," Stef warned.
"But, you won't that's the thing," he said.
"Hey, watch your mouth, young man."
"Well, I don't party every night, so…," Callie stated.
"Good answer," Stef said.
"Actually she doesn't party any night," Brandon joined in the conversation.
"And how would you know that," Lena asked lightly chuckling?
"...Because I talk to Callie, too. And I never see her out when I go so..."
"Oh, when you go," Stef laughed between bites?
"Yeah," he nodded. "Actually, no I'm just kidding. I don't party either."
"Yeah, everyone knows that," Mariana said earning a laugh from the entire right side of the table.
"Or because, they're dating …" Dana interrupted.
"What," Stef laughed turning to Brandon and Callie?!
"Grandma, why would you say that," Brandon chuckled?
"Because I heard you on my way back from the bathroom."
At this point they had an audience.
"Mom, what are you talking about," Lena questioned.
Dana looked at Callie and Brandon whose faces turned frozen.
"I think we need to cut this dinner short," Stef said getting up from her chair.
"When did this happen," Stef paced back and forth in the dining room?
"Last year," Brandon answered bluntly.
"Last ye—. This has been going on for a year?! How could you let this happ-… A year," Stef's mind raced and her words jumbled?! "Is this why you were okay with not getting adopted," Stef directed towards Callie?
"No," Callie cried!
"We told you, you couldn't date, and you knew the rules…Do you have anything to say?"
After a long pause, Stef continued, "This is so irresponsible of you 2. I can't believe you did this."
"We can't help how we feel," Brandon exclaimed!
Stef paused, much like she did when she'd heard those similar words 2 years ago.
"Why don't we continue this conversation in the morning," Lena suggested?
Brandon and Callie got up from their seats and headed toward the stairs. Lena watched them as they walked away, Brandon's hand caressing Callie's waist, much like it did 2 years ago the day of Frank's funeral.
"Well everyone's cleared out," Sharon walked in. "You know Nikki really enjoyed dinner; she said it reminded her of real family."
"Mom, I don't know what to do," Stef broke and fell into her mother's comforting hug.
"What can you do, honey? Kids will do what they're gonna do," Sharon rubbed her daughter's back.
Stef walked into her and Lena's room lying down on her side facing away from Lena. Her significant other turned over to face her and rubbed a tentative hand on her shoulder.
"I know. It's hard," she said.
The next morning, Stef walked down the steps and into the kitchen.
"Jesus had another early morning practice today and my dad came over to take Jude shopping," Lena informed.
"Okay," Stef nodded. "I'm really not looking forward to the conversation we have to have with them this morning," Stef expressed.
As that was said, they'd heard someone tiptoe down the stairs.
"Hey, Mariana, what's up," Lena exhaled?
"…They're gone."
"Who," Stef questioned already knowing the answer?
"Brandon and Callie," she said.