Author's Note: The last chapter of the Thanksgiving arc. Thanks for reviewing as always and please keep it up!
Disclaimer: I own nothing
Chapter 29: Be Thankful
"Dad?" Julie walked into his and Elyse's room, while he was getting dressed. He looked at her. She was dressed up, wearing a simple black skirt paired with a blue satin top and her pinned up in a sort of messy updo with hair chopsticks. She looked remarkably grown up.
"Hi sweetie," He smiled. "You look nice."
"Um, I'm sorry," She said, sitting down. "For how I've been acting. I mean, we get into a fight about whether or not I've grown up and I deal with it by throwing a fit and ignoring you like a six year old."
"Julie," He sat down. "Honey I know things are tough for you right now, and I haven't made them easier."
"No," She said, "That's what I've been trying to explain to you, things haven't been that tough, because of Jimmy,"
"Cat," He sighed.
"Dad!" She said, "Please? He's been amazing, so supportive, and he knows that next year I have to be here to be with Jaime and he's willing to come with me even though it's completely against everything his family wants for him, and if Jaime hadn't gotten sick I'd probably go to Columbia because its what he's always wanted." He nodded. "I'm happy right now Dad, happier than I've been in a really long time." He smiled.
"I don't like that you're sleeping with him," He shook his head. "You're so young Jules, you don't even know."
"I couldn't not do it, Dad," She said, "Last year, when it happened, I," She blushed, "I mean, I love him so much. I wish you'd just trust me."
"I trust you," He said with a smile, "I don't trust Jimmy." She rolled her eyes. "He did break your heart."
"I broke up with him," Julie reminded him.
"But then you wanted to get back together and he said no," Cal reminded her. She looked at him. "OK, don't look at me in that tone of voice Julia Marie, you've made your point." She smiled. "You know it didn't mean what I said."
"I know," She whispered, "It's just it can feel that way, when you and Jaime talk about keeping me from your mistakes."
"You were not that mistake," He said emphatically. "Getting pregnant when we were seventeen was a mistake. But having you and keeping you was the best decision we ever made." Julie nodded. "Do you understand the difference?"
"Yeah," She said, "I mean, I think so." He nodded. "I'm really excited about the new baby."
"Me too," He smiled. "I wouldn't mind if you went to Columbia you know. Maybe we'd actually see you every once in a while." She laughed.
"Well, I applied," She shrugged. "We haven't made any real decisions yet, we haven't gotten acceptance letters yet."
"Are you marrying him?" He raised his eyebrows.
"Not anytime soon," Julie laughed, "He wants to wait until he's done with med school, and I certainly don't think that teen marriage is all that successful."
"We taught you something," He said happily and stood up. "Come on, Kitten, downstairs, there is turkey to be eaten." She laughed as he pushed her out the door.
Kelly and Janet sat flopped in the library at the Vanderbilt's sipping martinis. They'd managed to stay away from Mrs. Vanderbilt for most of the week and now they'd both decided the only way to make it through dinner was to get thoroughly drunk beforehand.
"There you two are," Emily walked in. "I want you to meet someone."
"Have a drink Em!" Janet giggled. "There's plenty, we made a whole pitcher!"
"Yeah," Emily nodded, "In a sec," She went back into the hallway and pulled a tall blondish guy, wearing a blue cashmere sweater and a pair of chinos in, "This is my new boyfriend, Craig."
"Hi," Craig said, waving.
"But Emily," Kelly said, "He has a normal haricut!"
"And is a guy!" Janet exclaimed.
"And is wearing like, natural fibers," Kelly chimed in, "That aren't hemp."
"Wow," Emily said, "For debutantes you two sure aren't good with the social graces. How many of those have you had?"
"Just a couple," Janet shrugged, "We're not drunk enough for your Aunt Kat yet though."
"Uh huh," She nodded. "Well, then, I'll leave you guys."
"Bye bye," Kelly waved, "Bye Emily's cute new boyfriend." They walked out.
"Um, Em," Craig said, "What were they?"
"I told you I had a colorful past," Emily shrugged.
"Yeah," He nodded, "You didn't mention you were a lesbian."
"Because I wasn't," She shook her head, "I am bi-sexual." He nodded. "It's little early to be talking about all of this."
"Hey," Dave walked over, "Craig, what's up man?"
"You're girlfriend's getting sloshed off of your dad's good gin in the library," Emily nodded towards the door. "You might want to get that under control."
"Aw, Janet and Kelly are so sweet together aren't they?" Dave laughed.
"They kinda scared me," Craig said.
"They do that too," He said. "It's good to see you again." He shook Craig's hand and walked into the library, "Have you two lush's even eaten today?"
"DAVE!" Janet squealed and ran over and kissed him. "I made martinis. Drink with us!"
"Kelly," He looked at her, and she smiled vividly at him, "I expect more from you."
"It's very unfair that you hold me to a higher standard than her," Kelly frowned. "Just because I wasn't a slut in high school."
"No, it's more because of that whole Ivy League thing," David said. "And also you're dating Scottie not me."
"Mm," Kelly giggled, "I need another drink." He groaned. "Did you see Emily's boyfriend?"
"I've met him before," Dave nodded, "He's a cool guy."
"But he's so normal!!" Janet said, "How did she even meet him?"
"He bought one of Tammy's sketches," Dave shrugged. "So there's your in for conversation Kelly. 'I hear you like my step sister's art.'"
"I should shower and get dressed," Kelly bounced up and flitted out.
"You're a bad influence on that girl," Dave chastised Janet teasingly.
"Pff," She huffed, and kissed him. "Kelly was a huge alchy long before she and I started hanging out. You know what my favorite thing to do on holidays is?" She fingered the buttons on his polo.
"I'm guessing it involves nudity," He smiled.
"Mm," She kissed him, "You guessed right." She pulled him over to the leather couch and they lay down.
Kelly bounced into the purple room, which she and Janet had been sharing. This trip was substantially better than that fist trip out here could it really be three years ago?
"Hey," Scooter said sitting on the bed.
"Hey," She smiled and kissed him.
"Wow," He said, "You're drunk."
"You bet I am," She giggled and kissed him.
"Yeah, well," He said, "Why don't you take a shower and I'll get you some coffee?"
"Why are you and Dave being such party poopers?" She frowned and fell backwards onto the bed.
"Did you just say party pooper?" He laughed. She frowned. "Look, normally I wouldn't care if you drank a whole bottle of Cristal in front of my parents, but Claire's coming."
"Ooh, did she finally dump her fiancé for Logan?" Kelly squealed. He nodded. "Poor Grant and poor Liam, they must be so sad."
"Yes, the lot of the Nichols boys is truly sad," Scooter snorted. "Get in the shower, and please wear the lavender dress Tammy made you for gala last year."
"I thought I'd wear my red dress," She whispered and kissed him.
"Kelly," He sighed, "Please? It's very important to Logan that we play down the dysfunction."
"She's knows about all the dysfunction," Kelly sighed, now yawning. "She edited your book after all." He laughed. "I'll sleep it off like a good girl."
"OK," He whispered and kissed her.
Connie stood in the kitchen and pulled the pies out of the fridge. She loved running Thanksgiving she really did, but this year was so awkward, worse even than last year.
"Connie?" Guy walked in.
"Oh you're talking to me now?" She frowned, pulling a pumpkin pie out and setting it on the counter.
"Excuse me for not being thrilled about having to hear everyone toast the woman I love and some other guy," He hissed. She looked at him. "Connie, what happened to us?"
"I don't know," She said, "But you broke your promise. You said you'd be there for me."
"You know this was the first time I saw you with him," He whispered, "Last year, you left the table and I went to check on you, and you were standing right here," He stepped closer to her. "And you were kissing him." He took her waist gently.
"Oh Guy, don't!" She whispered but it was too late. He was kissing her and had pulled her close. She couldn't help it, she'd missed him so much that she kissed him back, if only because it meant that he would be there for another moment.
"I told you I wouldn't stop fighting for you," He said. She looked up at him, "You can't marry him Connie, you'll kill me. And you kissed me back, you must still love me."
"Guy," She whispered, "I do love you. But I," He looked at her. "I have to be with Charlie. I can't help it. But I miss you so much." He kissed her again, and she kissed back again. "Please, stop."
"Stop kissing back," He smirked. She pushed him away.
Claire stood shivering as snow started to fall waiting at the train station. She smiled seeing a sleek black car pull up, and even more when the man driving it got out.
"What kept you?" She teased.
"It took me five years to get here," He walked over to her, and pulled her close and kissed her, "I figured I could take my time."
"Well, you figured wrong," She said. "I've been a spoiled city girl for quite a few years now, I'm not good at outdoorsy things."
"All that 4H training for nothing," He shook his head and they kissed again.
"Shut up rich boy and take me home," She giggled and pulled close from his jacket lapels. They held each other close as the snow started to fall harder.
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