Giving Thanks:

Gabriella woke up that morning with a smile on her face. This would be the first Thanksgiving she would be spending with her husband. Gabi smiled when she felt her husband tighten his arms around her waist. At 26, Gabi had the best life a girl could ask for. If she wanted or needed something, she always had the money to buy it. That comes from having a husband who is a big NBA Star for the LA Lakers. Gabi herself often found herself in front of a computer screen writing on thing or another. She always, however, found time to support her man. She was at every home game and many of the away games. The team often called her their good luck charm.

Gabi slowly climbed out of bed but an arm stopped her. "Troy."

"What? Come lay back down with me." Troy said pulling her back down. "Why are you getting up?"

"I have to go make the stuffing, stuff the turkey, and put the turkey in the oven. I still have to clean everything today. Your parents and my mom and stepfather will be here by 12:30. I have to get everything ready. The snacks still need to be made and set out and I really need to get up."

"No you need to take a breath."

"No I need to pee." Gabi pulled out of his arms and walked into the bathroom.

"Woman." Troy flopped back on the bed and covered his eyes.

Gabi came back out of the bathroom. "Get out of that bed you are doing to help me."

"What?" Troy sat up in bed. "Don't you always say 'Troy get the hell out, your in my way' all the time to me?"

"See that, that's gonna get up tonight on the couch and maybe even longer." Gabi said throwing on a pair of sweat pants and a tank top. "Well…get your ass out of bed." Gabi walked out of the room and down to the kitchen.

Troy walked down to the kitchen after getting dressed. "So what do you want me to do?"

"Start cleaning the living room. I want this place so clean that you can eat of the floor."

"The floor?"

Gabi turned to he husband "Troy…if there is one thing wrong with this place, my mom will point it out. I just want to make sure there's nothing for her to point out. Plus I want make your parents see that I'm a good wife for you."

Troy walked over and wrapped his arms around her. "Honey, my parents already love. They don't care if we can eat of the floor. They just love having family around and you're family, they will love this Thanksgiving."

"I guess your right."

"I'm always right."

"But you're still cleaning while I cook."

"Okay." Troy kissed her head and walked into the kitchen. "What I do for love." Troy turned on the TV watching the Parade.

The phone rang; Gabi looked up and said, "Troy are you doing to get that."

"Yeah." Troy reached over and grabbed the phone. "Hello?"

"Hey man."

"Hey Chad, what's up?"
"Nothing, just sitting in the living room listening to Taylor as she complains about the turkey."

"I think Gabi's gonna blow. She's so worried about everything; we've been up since 7am."

"I'm in the same boat. I had to stand there as she yelled about everything. And to top it off…my daughter sat there laughing. Of course Taylor won't tell her anything."

"How is Mackenzie anyway?"

"She's good."
"TROY! I need your help." Gabi called from the kitchen

Troy turned to the phone. "I got to go, the wifey calls."

"Alright. I'll talk to you later."

"Okay, bye."

"Bye." They both hung up

Troy walked into the kitchen. "What'cha need wifey?"

"Wifey?"
"What do you need?"

"I need you to help me open the oven to see how the turkey's doing."

"Okay." Troy pulled out the turkey and looked at it.

"Alright it's good, put it back in." Gabi said heading over to the fridge.

When Troy was done he said, "What do we do now?"

"Well…it's 11 now so go get in the shower and I'll finish cleaning the kitchen and making the trays. When you are done with your shower, I'll get in. By that time I'm done it'll be time for the parents to start showing up."

"Sure." Troy kissed her head. "Have I told you today that I love you?"

"No today."

"Well I love you Mrs. Bolton…very much."

"I love you too Mr. Bolton."

Gabi wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him on the lips. He headed up stairs and got in the shower while Gabi finished what she needed. When she was done and everything was ready, Gabi headed up stairs. Troy was walking out of the bathroom in a towel (A/N: Let me stop and saw that, that is a mental picture that I wouldn't mind keeping.) Gabi opened the closet to grab her dress and shoes, throwing them on the bed before she headed into the bathroom. Troy was dressed in a pair of black pants and a wife beater underneath his baby blue button down shirt.

"Hey baby." Troy called knocking on the bathroom door

"Yeah?"

"I'm gonna head down stairs. You got another 45 minutes before our parents start arriving."

"Okay, if I'm not down there before 12:15 can you put all the trays out?"

"Sure baby."

Troy headed to the living room to see what game was playing. Gabi came out of the bathroom, 20 minutes later, dressed in a soft baby blue cotton dress. She added knee high black heels. Gabi curled her hair in ringlets, letting them fall softly against her face. She put on her make-up, natural colors of course, Troy said that's the way he liked it. Meanwhile Troy was just about to lay everything out when there was a knock on the door.

Troy opened the door to see his parents. "Hey mom…dad."

"Hey honey." LeAnn hugged her son. They all walked into the living room.

Jack looked around and said, "Where's Gabi?"

"What am I…chopped liver?"

"No…chopped onions, now where is my daughter-in-law?"

"She's…"

"Right here." Gabi walked down the steps, hugging her in-laws. "It's so good to see you."

"You too. How are you doing?"

"Freaking out." Troy answered

Gabi elbowed him in the ribs. "Don't listen to him."

"Why don't me and you head out to the kitchen? Leave the boys to watch football." LeAnn said

"Alright." The girls walked into the kitchen

When they were gone, Troy leaned over to his father. "She has been freaking out since 7 this morning, worrying about one thing or another."

"Sounds like your mother on our first holiday. She was so scared that she was going to mess something up, she ended up dropping her wedding ring in the gravy."

"Please don't tell Gabi that. I just want to get dinner on the table."

"When is Gabi's mom and step-father coming?"
"Umm…" Then there was a knock on the door. "Right now." Troy walked over and opened the door. "Hi Gina." Troy hugged his mother in-law.

"Troy." Gina said

Troy held out his hand. "Hi, Raymond."

Raymond shook his hand and said, "Troy." They all walked into the living room.

Gabi came out of the kitchen "Troy was that…" Gabi saw her mom. "Mom." Gabi hugged her mother then Raymond. "Hi."

"He Gabriella." Raymond said

"Please sit, enjoy yourself. There are snacks around, the games on, and I'll be in the kitchen." Gabi tuned and headed back into the kitchen

An hour later Gabi walked back out of the kitchen and said, "Troy could you help me with something up stairs?"

"Sure baby." He got up and followed her up stairs. When they got to their room he said, "What do you need?"

"I umm…I don't think I can do this."

"What do you mean? Baby what's wrong?"

"Umm…listen the pumpkin pie fell and is now in the trash. I cannot remember where I put the butter and I need it. The cheesecake's middle fell and it looks like crap." Gabi looked up at Troy with tears running down her face. "I can't do this. This Thanksgiving is turning out to be a nightmare."

Troy pulled her into his arms. "Baby I just want you to take a deep breath. Breath in." She did and waited. Troy realized she wasn't breathing and said "Oh, breath out." She did. Troy kissed her head and said "I love and even if this Thanksgiving turns out to be a nightmare…"

"TROY!"

"Sorry but if it does…I am still going to love you. My parents and your mother and stepfather are still going to love you. I want you to calm down, go back down there and do what you do best."

"And what's that?"

"Making the best out of what we got."

"I love you Troy, I really do. I think I would have self destructed my now if it weren't for you."

"Glad I could help." Troy wiped her tears away. "Now come with me. I'll help whatever you need."

"No, you go watch football. That's what guys do on Thanksgiving."

"Well this guy…" Troy pointed to himself "Isn't like other guys. This guy wants to help his wife in the kitchen."

"Okay." Gabi lead them down the steps to the kitchen.

Jack looked up and said "Everything okay?"

"Fine." Gabi said smiling and headed to the kitchen. Troy and Gabi worked until 5 o'clock, everything was set and all the food was set out. Gabi headed into the living. "Everyone…dinner is ready."

"It smells magnificent." Jack said walking by Gabi

"Thank you." Gabi said, after they all sat down. They joined hands and Gabi said grace. "Thank you Lord for this food that you've put on our plates. For the family I have around me. Bless everyone here and our extended family everywhere else. In your name we pray, amen."

"Amen."

Troy looked up and said, "Since we are starting traditions tonight. I want to go around the table and let everyone say what they're thankful for."
"That's a good idea."

Troy nodded and said, "I'm thankful for a lovely wife who I love so much, she's showed me the real me."

Jack said, "I'm thankful for my family, all I want is for them to be happy and they are."

LeAnn said, "Okay. I'm thankful for life; it's given me so much."

Gina said. "I'm thankful for my daughter. She gave my purpose."

Raymond said, "I'm thankful for god letting two beautiful women in my life. One is my wife and the other is my step-daughter."

Everyone looked at Gabi. "My turn?"

"Yeah. What are you thankful for baby?"

"I'm thankful for my wonderful husband who will be an amazing father."

Troy choked on his drink. He looked down the table at Gabi. "Father? As in we're having a baby."

"Surprise!" Gabi said, "That's probably why I was in a mood all day."

Troy jumped up from his chair. Grabbing Gabi and spinning her around. "WE'RE GONNA HAVE A BABY!"
Jack got up and hugged Gabi after Troy put her down. "Congratulations sweetheart."

"Thank you." After hugging everyone Gabi said, "Let's eat!"

Everyone sat back down and then started to dig in. Troy kept watching Gabi as she talked and laughed with everyone. He got up and got everything if anyone needed anything. He made sure that Gabi had a balance meal and didn't drink soda or alcohol. Gabi noticed that he hovered a lot but she just smiled and laughed it off. After everyone was finished and went into the living room before desert, Gabi went to clean up.

Tory stopped her "What are you doing?"
"Cleaning up."

"No…you are pregnant which mean you don't do anything. I want you to go in the living room and rest."

"Honey…I'm pregnant not sick."

"I know that I just don't want anything to happen to you or the baby. This is why you need to rest."

"I don't need to rest. I can help you clean up and I promise you I'll rest. Okay?"

"Fine but just stand over there by the sink and I'll carry everything."

"Okay."

"And that's another thing." Troy started carrying things over and going back. "No more carrying or lifting for you. If you need something done then I'll do it."

Gabi shook her head and said "Whatever you say baby."

"It is whatever I say." After they were done the dishes, he said. "Go sit down and I'll bring in dessert."

"Okay. I love you."

"I love you." Troy leaned down, kissed her belly, and said, "I love you too little one."

Gabi looked at Troy and whispered "Happy Thanksgiving."

"Happy Thanksgiving." Troy whispered back

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO EVERYONE! I hope your Thanksgiving was as happy as mine was. Read and Review, I want to hear what you think. Till next time

---SexyPunk54---