"Bad news," Joe greeted, hastily entering the apartment that she and Ephram
now shared.
"What is it?" He asked, joining her in the front foyer.
"My dad. Thanksgiving. UGH!" Joe exclaimed, quickly pouring herself a cup of tea.
"Could you re-explain that in English?" Ephram laughed, leaning against the counter.
"I have no idea why, but my father decided to join us for Thanksgiving this year. And on top of that, he's bringing his little.his little.I don't know, who knows what she is," Joe answered frantically, anger for her father dripping off of every word.
"Come on, they can't be that bad," Ephram tried to sooth her.
"Oh no, it can't possibly get worse," Joe shook her head, "Jeez, this will be a really great Thanksgiving."
*@*
Joe walked slowly through the supermarket, careful to get everything on her list for Thanksgiving. It was early Wednesday morning, so the last minute rush hadn't quite begun. Slipping a bag of fresh dinner rolls into her squeaky cart, Joe continued on her way down the aisle. Just as she turned the corner, her cart met with that of Alicia's.
"Fancy meeting you here," Alicia said bitterly.
"Happy Thanksgiving to you too," Joe sighed, "How have you been?"
"Not good considering, but Thanksgiving has always been my holiday, and I'm not going to abandon it just because of my recent bad luck," Alicia said with a fake smile.
"Well, that's good then," Joe replied with a nod, "I'm great also, thanks for asking."
"I don't know what you were expecting, I mean you were the "other woman"," Alicia responded, folding her arms tightly against her chest.
"I'm sorry, I know what it's like to lose a great guy that you love," Joe said as sweetly as she could, "but for me, Ephram is "the one" and our impending relationship just wasn't something I could give up."
"I guess I really didn't see it that way," Alicia nodded, "I'm sorry for being sort of rude."
"Your forgiven," Joe smiled back, "And I'm sorry for cheating with your boyfriend when he was still with you."
"I forgive you too," Alicia laughed, as the two shared a quick hug, "But I'm still going to pretend to hate you, if that's okay."
"It's fine, and I'll still tell everyone how much I think your sleazy," Joe joked, "I mean, if that's okay."
*@*
Joe managed to baste the turkey at the same time as she attempted to peel potatoes.
"Looks good," Ephram commented, as he paced into the kitchen. Pots and pans were everywhere, as were recipe books, and scattered ingredients. Joe had never been much of a cook; she actually was more into baking. She was the only girl in her home economics class in 11th grade to actually ace the baking unit.
"Ok, listen, you've never met my dad," Joe sighed, putting the turkey back in the oven, "And he's hard to please, he'll ask you tons of questions, including your blood type, driving records, and probably where you'd like to be buried, since I swear he's out to get anyone that ever lays eyes on me."
"So he doesn't know about me?" Ephram asked, helping Joe with the potatoes.
"Oh no, he does, my mother sent him pictures of graduation and prom, and obviously, that's why he's coming," Joe explained, "He's not too big, don't worry, I'm sure you can take him." Joe laughed, as Ephram glared at her.
"What about his new wife? What's she like?" Ephram questioned his girlfriend.
"Bimbo pretty much sums up her personality," Joe smiled sarcastically, just as the door bell rang, "And that would be the happy couple now." Joe wiped her hands on a Christmassy hand towel, and slowly paced towards the door. As she opened it, a man, about 20 years her senior, pulled her into a huge hug. Joe laughed, and hugged him back. A young woman, who Ephram knew must be Nicolette, sauntered in behind him, clad in a very low-cut, very out of fashion, paisley dress.
"Wow, Joe, you look magnificent," Joe's dad, Christopher, commented, taking a good look at his eldest daughter after she gave him a traditional quick peck on the cheek.
"As do you daddy," Joe smiled, "And this is Ephram, my boyfriend, whom you've been dieing to meet."
"Hello Ephram," Christopher greeted, shaking the young man's hand, "I've heard so much about you. I want to personally thank you for making my daughter so happy and agreeable."
"Your welcome, Mr. Lawson," Ephram nodded.
"Oh please, call me Christopher," Christopher laughed, before Nicolette roughly nudged him, "And this is my fiancé, Nicolette. Joe you've meet Nicolette if I remember correctly."
"Yes, I have had the pleasure of meeting your dear wife," Joe said, shooting a glare her way.
"Nicolette Miller," Nicolette smiled, stating her name in an obvious American accent. Nicolette was a skinny, bleach blonde, about 5"6 in height, including her one inch heels. There was nothing modest about her. She wore huge silver hoop earrings and carried a knock off Luis Vuitan bag. She seemed very young for Christopher, but it didn't seem like he noticed or even cared. Christopher seemed like a very nice man, with a nice demeanor, and an inviting charm. He was a tall, lean man, whose age had only begun to show in laugh lines, and a few gray hairs hid beneath his dark brown hair. All in all, he didn't seem like the type of guy who would cream his daughter's boyfriend.
"Well, why don't you get comfortable, and I'll try to finish up in the kitchen," Joe proposed, motioning to the living room.
"Sounds great honey," Christopher nodded, "Nikki, why don't you help Joe in the kitchen so I can talk to Ephram here." Reluctantly, Nikki parted, and followed Joe to the kitchen. If she hadn't known better, Joe would totally have given her father a good kick in the head for that.
"So, why don't you mix the pumpkin pie filling," Joe suggested, handing her the ingredients.
"I don't do pie," Nicolette scoffed.
"Alright," Joe said with a huff, "Then you can shell these peas."
"I don't do vegetables either," Nicolette replied, keeping her attention on her finely manicured nails, no doubt provided for by Christopher.
"How did I know you'd say that? Why don't you just read me the recipes then?" Joe proposed, forcing the cookbook upon her.
Meanwhile.
"So how many years have you been seeing my Joe?" Christopher asked Ephram.
"Um, on and off for about 5 or 6 years," Ephram answered.
"I see, and what are your intentions?" Christopher continued the interrogation.
"I uh.I don't know, I guess I hope to settle down with her some day, when I'm done with school," Ephram answered.
"What are you studying?" Christopher continued in his deep New York accent. Ephram couldn't help but feel as if he was talking to a mob boss.
"I'm majoring in music at Julliard, and minoring in business," Ephram explained.
"Good, I've heard that's a good school," Christopher nodded pleased, "So you know if you ever hurt my baby girl I'll have you wishing you were never born, are we clear?"
"Ugh, yes sir," Ephram nearly coughed.
"Great, you're a good man, and I like that," Christopher smiled.
*@*
"I can't believe Christopher dragged me here," Nicolette mumbled to herself.
"Excuse me?" Joe asked, violently mashing the potatoes, "I was having a hard time hearing, seeing as my brain is being deprived of air, since your head seems to have absorbed it all."
"Huh?" Nicolette asked, still uninterested.
"Nothing," Joe sighed, "Just help me bring these things into the dining room." Joe handed her a dish of peas, and grabbed the dish of mashed potatoes.
"Dinner is served," Joe announced, setting the last dish onto the table. Ephram gave her a sympathetic glance, and clasped her hand once she had sat down.
"This turkey is painfully dry," Nicolette complained, picking apart her piece of turkey.
"You know what? I'm way past tired of your little antics missy, either sit down, shut up, and eat this wonderful food we're all so thankful for, or get your irritating, prissy ass back on it's way to Paris!" Joe shouted exasperated, "And my turkey is perfectly fine, seeing as it's my mother's recipe, who, let me tell you, is at least a thousand times classier and smarter than you, Miss Bimbo!"
"I'm scissors, your glue," Nicolette began.
"Save your self the humiliation honey," Joe replied doing her best not to smack her, "Dad, I must ask, what have you been smoking?"
"Well isn't this just the best food I've tasted in a long time," Christopher changed the subject, "You are quite the cook Joe. Can someone pass me the rolls?"
Happy Thanksgiving!
"What is it?" He asked, joining her in the front foyer.
"My dad. Thanksgiving. UGH!" Joe exclaimed, quickly pouring herself a cup of tea.
"Could you re-explain that in English?" Ephram laughed, leaning against the counter.
"I have no idea why, but my father decided to join us for Thanksgiving this year. And on top of that, he's bringing his little.his little.I don't know, who knows what she is," Joe answered frantically, anger for her father dripping off of every word.
"Come on, they can't be that bad," Ephram tried to sooth her.
"Oh no, it can't possibly get worse," Joe shook her head, "Jeez, this will be a really great Thanksgiving."
*@*
Joe walked slowly through the supermarket, careful to get everything on her list for Thanksgiving. It was early Wednesday morning, so the last minute rush hadn't quite begun. Slipping a bag of fresh dinner rolls into her squeaky cart, Joe continued on her way down the aisle. Just as she turned the corner, her cart met with that of Alicia's.
"Fancy meeting you here," Alicia said bitterly.
"Happy Thanksgiving to you too," Joe sighed, "How have you been?"
"Not good considering, but Thanksgiving has always been my holiday, and I'm not going to abandon it just because of my recent bad luck," Alicia said with a fake smile.
"Well, that's good then," Joe replied with a nod, "I'm great also, thanks for asking."
"I don't know what you were expecting, I mean you were the "other woman"," Alicia responded, folding her arms tightly against her chest.
"I'm sorry, I know what it's like to lose a great guy that you love," Joe said as sweetly as she could, "but for me, Ephram is "the one" and our impending relationship just wasn't something I could give up."
"I guess I really didn't see it that way," Alicia nodded, "I'm sorry for being sort of rude."
"Your forgiven," Joe smiled back, "And I'm sorry for cheating with your boyfriend when he was still with you."
"I forgive you too," Alicia laughed, as the two shared a quick hug, "But I'm still going to pretend to hate you, if that's okay."
"It's fine, and I'll still tell everyone how much I think your sleazy," Joe joked, "I mean, if that's okay."
*@*
Joe managed to baste the turkey at the same time as she attempted to peel potatoes.
"Looks good," Ephram commented, as he paced into the kitchen. Pots and pans were everywhere, as were recipe books, and scattered ingredients. Joe had never been much of a cook; she actually was more into baking. She was the only girl in her home economics class in 11th grade to actually ace the baking unit.
"Ok, listen, you've never met my dad," Joe sighed, putting the turkey back in the oven, "And he's hard to please, he'll ask you tons of questions, including your blood type, driving records, and probably where you'd like to be buried, since I swear he's out to get anyone that ever lays eyes on me."
"So he doesn't know about me?" Ephram asked, helping Joe with the potatoes.
"Oh no, he does, my mother sent him pictures of graduation and prom, and obviously, that's why he's coming," Joe explained, "He's not too big, don't worry, I'm sure you can take him." Joe laughed, as Ephram glared at her.
"What about his new wife? What's she like?" Ephram questioned his girlfriend.
"Bimbo pretty much sums up her personality," Joe smiled sarcastically, just as the door bell rang, "And that would be the happy couple now." Joe wiped her hands on a Christmassy hand towel, and slowly paced towards the door. As she opened it, a man, about 20 years her senior, pulled her into a huge hug. Joe laughed, and hugged him back. A young woman, who Ephram knew must be Nicolette, sauntered in behind him, clad in a very low-cut, very out of fashion, paisley dress.
"Wow, Joe, you look magnificent," Joe's dad, Christopher, commented, taking a good look at his eldest daughter after she gave him a traditional quick peck on the cheek.
"As do you daddy," Joe smiled, "And this is Ephram, my boyfriend, whom you've been dieing to meet."
"Hello Ephram," Christopher greeted, shaking the young man's hand, "I've heard so much about you. I want to personally thank you for making my daughter so happy and agreeable."
"Your welcome, Mr. Lawson," Ephram nodded.
"Oh please, call me Christopher," Christopher laughed, before Nicolette roughly nudged him, "And this is my fiancé, Nicolette. Joe you've meet Nicolette if I remember correctly."
"Yes, I have had the pleasure of meeting your dear wife," Joe said, shooting a glare her way.
"Nicolette Miller," Nicolette smiled, stating her name in an obvious American accent. Nicolette was a skinny, bleach blonde, about 5"6 in height, including her one inch heels. There was nothing modest about her. She wore huge silver hoop earrings and carried a knock off Luis Vuitan bag. She seemed very young for Christopher, but it didn't seem like he noticed or even cared. Christopher seemed like a very nice man, with a nice demeanor, and an inviting charm. He was a tall, lean man, whose age had only begun to show in laugh lines, and a few gray hairs hid beneath his dark brown hair. All in all, he didn't seem like the type of guy who would cream his daughter's boyfriend.
"Well, why don't you get comfortable, and I'll try to finish up in the kitchen," Joe proposed, motioning to the living room.
"Sounds great honey," Christopher nodded, "Nikki, why don't you help Joe in the kitchen so I can talk to Ephram here." Reluctantly, Nikki parted, and followed Joe to the kitchen. If she hadn't known better, Joe would totally have given her father a good kick in the head for that.
"So, why don't you mix the pumpkin pie filling," Joe suggested, handing her the ingredients.
"I don't do pie," Nicolette scoffed.
"Alright," Joe said with a huff, "Then you can shell these peas."
"I don't do vegetables either," Nicolette replied, keeping her attention on her finely manicured nails, no doubt provided for by Christopher.
"How did I know you'd say that? Why don't you just read me the recipes then?" Joe proposed, forcing the cookbook upon her.
Meanwhile.
"So how many years have you been seeing my Joe?" Christopher asked Ephram.
"Um, on and off for about 5 or 6 years," Ephram answered.
"I see, and what are your intentions?" Christopher continued the interrogation.
"I uh.I don't know, I guess I hope to settle down with her some day, when I'm done with school," Ephram answered.
"What are you studying?" Christopher continued in his deep New York accent. Ephram couldn't help but feel as if he was talking to a mob boss.
"I'm majoring in music at Julliard, and minoring in business," Ephram explained.
"Good, I've heard that's a good school," Christopher nodded pleased, "So you know if you ever hurt my baby girl I'll have you wishing you were never born, are we clear?"
"Ugh, yes sir," Ephram nearly coughed.
"Great, you're a good man, and I like that," Christopher smiled.
*@*
"I can't believe Christopher dragged me here," Nicolette mumbled to herself.
"Excuse me?" Joe asked, violently mashing the potatoes, "I was having a hard time hearing, seeing as my brain is being deprived of air, since your head seems to have absorbed it all."
"Huh?" Nicolette asked, still uninterested.
"Nothing," Joe sighed, "Just help me bring these things into the dining room." Joe handed her a dish of peas, and grabbed the dish of mashed potatoes.
"Dinner is served," Joe announced, setting the last dish onto the table. Ephram gave her a sympathetic glance, and clasped her hand once she had sat down.
"This turkey is painfully dry," Nicolette complained, picking apart her piece of turkey.
"You know what? I'm way past tired of your little antics missy, either sit down, shut up, and eat this wonderful food we're all so thankful for, or get your irritating, prissy ass back on it's way to Paris!" Joe shouted exasperated, "And my turkey is perfectly fine, seeing as it's my mother's recipe, who, let me tell you, is at least a thousand times classier and smarter than you, Miss Bimbo!"
"I'm scissors, your glue," Nicolette began.
"Save your self the humiliation honey," Joe replied doing her best not to smack her, "Dad, I must ask, what have you been smoking?"
"Well isn't this just the best food I've tasted in a long time," Christopher changed the subject, "You are quite the cook Joe. Can someone pass me the rolls?"
Happy Thanksgiving!