Chapter 4: Thanksgiving

A week after Bee's birthday was Thanksgiving. During the week leading up to it the team decorated the GPS room inn honor of the holiday in orange, yellow, red and black with streamers on the ceiling, Indian corn and gourds in bowls around the room on the coffee table and the accent tables. Also in that week before Thanksgiving the entire team went grocery shopping to one make it go faster and two for the fact that everyone liked different pies and we all agreed to make one item. Bee the turkey, Terra the green bean casserole, Star the mashed potatoes, Cy was going to make the corn bread, Robin would make to stuffing, I was going to make the cranberry relish and finally BB was going the make his tofurkey. In addition to the dishes we'd each be making the team had to decide on the three flavors of pies we'd want Bee and Cy both liked sweet potato, Robin, Terra, Raven and I preferred pumpkin leaving Star to choose a pie of her own and she picked a chocolate pie. Once we all had the food we loaded it up into the T-Car and we returned home Raven and I on my bike, Robin and Star on his Bee and Cy in the T-Car and Terra rode on BB's back in his pterodactyl form. Once back at the tower we unpacked and took all the food upstairs and stored it in the fridge. The food sat in there until the evening before Thanksgiving when Robin, BB and I made our contributions to dinner. Robin started first by making his stuffing and once he had done that BB made his own tofu in the shape of a loaf around some stuffing and he'd cook it tomorrow while I took the food processor and I ground up cranberries, a peeled apple, an orange and oyster crackers and once it was the right consistency I added some sugar and asked on of the others to taste it to see if it was sweet enough.

''Why do you need one of us to taste it? Don't like the taste?'' Bee asked as she walked over to test its sweetness which was fine.

''No I like cranberry sauce and relish but I'm allergic.'' I said.

''Really? How bad?''

''I go into anaphylactic shock.'' I informed her and the team.

''How did you figure that out?'' Raven asked.

''Couple of years ago I was in Las Vegas and I went down to the local soup kitchen to help out and then I was eating with some of the other volunteers and when I ate it I noticed shortly after that my throat was itchy as hell and soon I couldn't breath, but luckily one of the other volunteers was a doctor and he had an EpiPen on him and then soon after we were at the hospital and they got me better and then I returned to my place knowing my new allergy.'' I told the team lying about being a volunteer and helping out at the soup kitchen when in reality I was homeless as I got there about two weeks before that but the rest was all true.

''Kind of ironic that the person who's allergic to the cranberry relish is the same one who made it.'' BB said.

''I don't mind I just have to be carful.'' I said.

Once all the food for tomorrows dinner that could be made before hand was done Bee put the sweet potato and pumpkin pies in the oven to bake and then we continued to watch T.V. while they baked until they were done and around midnight we went to bed for the night. The next morning the team woke up at the usual time of 7:00 A.M. and after we rolled out of our respective beds we then emptied our bladders and hoped in the showers in our rooms. Once we were clean and dressed the team met up in the GPS room for a light breakfast of toast, oatmeal and either juice or coffee to drink with our food. Once we were done with breakfast Bee preheated the oven and then she stuffed it with the rest of Robin's stuffing. Once the oven was heated Bee but the turkey in the oven and it cooked. While it was cooking Cy, Terra and Star started to prepare the dishes they were responsible for over the next few hours while the rest of us setup the table, chairs and set the table for when we would sit to eat. About four hours later the turkey was carved and put on a platter, the green bean casserole, corn bread, rolls, mashed potatoes, the stuffing taken out of the turkey before it was carved and put into a bowl and the cranberry relish were on the table. We then sat down with sparkling cider in the goblets the team used on holidays like this.

As we sat in our chairs and before we put any food on our plates while I started to fold my hands to say grace Bee noticed and said ''No Max we don't say grace.''

''Oh what do you do?'' I asked as I unfolded my hands and put them back on the table.

''We go around the table and say something we're thankful for and then we enjoy dinner.'' Bee said.

''Who wants to go first?'' Robin asked.

''I'll go first.'' BB said offering to start things off.

''I'm thankful for all you as my friends.''

This continued down the table going from person to person saying they were thankful for the teams health and how well the year had gone in terms of success in the criminals serving jail time and etc. until it was my turn.

''I'm thankful for being recruited to the team as well as finding Raven.'' I said reaching for her hand to hold in a loving way.

Once everyone had said what they were thankful for we all reached for food we desired putting it on our plates and we ate and talked for the next couple of hours. Once we were full, having gotten seconds and thirds on everything, we walked over and sat sown on the couch and watched the Macy's day parade on the T.V. as we digested the Thanksgiving dinner. About two hours later we were ready for pie and we grabbed plates, forks and for those of us that were eating pumpkin pie added whip cream on top of our pieces of pie. we enjoyed our pieces of pie and then after eating dessert Star, Raven and I went to my room to meditate, Robin and Cy went down to the vehicle hangar to wash their vehicles while Bee, BB and Terra loaded the dishwasher and then they went down to the danger room to work as a team against the automatic enemies flying through the air at them while they used their powers to stop them. For the next few hours the three groups did their thing but as Robin and Cy finished washing their vehicles they then got into the elevator and then they went up five floors to join Bee, BB and Terra to practice with them.

Hours later we all met back in the GPS room where due to the big dinner from earlier and all of were a little hungry so we had a light meal at our normal dinner time of left overs from earlier. After eating while we watched some more T.V. for a few more hours we headed for bed. We all walked out into the hall and said wished each other good night and while Raven and I went to our respective rooms while the others went as couples into a room together. BB and Terra into his, Bee and Cy into hers and finally Star and Robin into his. Once I had gotten into my room I undressed down to my underwear and I hopped into bed pulling my sheets up to my neck before I drifted off to sleep.