It was Thanksgiving. Bob could not believe he had nearly missed his favorite holiday. He had barely left the house since the accident, and he could not stomach the news after all the reports on Louise's death. Just two days had passed since the trial. Bob was sick knowing that if the jury had not come to a conclusion when they did. He would have had to endure a full week of waiting. Thankfully the trial was over, and he could start working on healing. After the loft bed collapsed Bob had broken down and told his dad about the gun. Even though it was the middle of the night. Big Bob immediately found the gun and drove it to Bog Harbor where he knew the sheriff's department offered a gun buyback program. He also ordered Bob to call Dr. Elena who made sure he was actually talked down and not just on a whim. She also contacted the organization she worked with and informed them that Bob would be in need of further treatment. Her office was closed for the week, but she told Bob to call her if he had any setbacks and that he would have daily sessions beginning on Monday.
Now it was Thanksgiving and Bob had nothing prepared. There was one store open two towns over and that was it. Bob thought about driving out there but knew it would be in vain. He didn't just need extra stuffing or a larger baking pan. He needed an entire meal. He knew it was his fault for not bothering to prepare anything. How could he just let the day nearly slip by? How did he get so messed up for so long?
"Hey son." Big Bob greeted.
"It's Thanksgiving and we don't have anything." Bob sighed.
"I know I am sorry. Holidays have been hard for me since your mother…" Big Bob explained.
"Thanksgiving was her favorite and I know Louise loved it too. She loved anything that brought us together and that involved fire." Bob replied.
"I know that too. I thought about shopping, but nobody seemed to care about the holiday. Tina and Gene didn't even mention getting an extra day off of school." Big Bob explained. Over the summer the school board had voted to give students the day before Thanksgiving off in an attempt to save money.
"I didn't even know it was today until last night. I thought it was weird when the judge talked about having to wait a week if we didn't get a verdict, but I was just so focused on getting through the day." Bob explained.
"Yeah" Big Bob replied.
"I could have still gone out yesterday. God what's wrong with me? I am just such a fucking mess." Bob sobbed.
"Son, you lost your daughter two months ago. Your wife up and left you. Your surviving children are dealing with their own grief. You kind of have a lot on your plate. It's perfectly reasonable you forgot a holiday." Big Bob assured.
"Yeah, but I should still try for Tina and Gene." Bob sniffed.
"Son the first few years after your mother died. I spent every holiday locked in my room with a bottle of alcohol. I don't even remember if you were home having to fend for yourself or if I sent you to stay with relatives or friends. The fact that this is the first holiday since losing her and you are in here trying to make a good day for your children. You are miles ahead of me." Big Bob assured.
Tina sat alone where the loft bed had once stood. Teddy had offered to rebuild the bed, but Tina declined the offer. Instead, she requested Teddy build a special shelf to hold Louise's most cherished treasures. Construction would begin the next day. Tina had spent the past couple nights sleeping on the floor in her sleeping bag but would move back to her own room once the shelf was built. She loved sleeping in Louise's room and feeling close to her but soon realized that Louise was always with her. With the shelf she could go into the room and see Louise's treasures, but for long term. She needed to get back to her own room and her own life.
"Hey" Gene greeted.
"Hey" Tina replied.
"So is Teddy building the shelf out of the old bed?" Gene asked.
"Yeah" Tina replied.
"So, it won't be a bedroom anymore?" Gene questioned.
"I guess not." Tina sighed.
"It's weird ya know it being the first holiday since Louise." Gene admitted.
"Yeah, it is." Tina agreed.
"What do you think it would be like. If they were here?" Gene questioned.
"Dad would be running around like a maniac trying to create the perfect Thanksgiving. Mom would be blasting Christmas carols. I would be trying to get you and Louise interested in whatever dumb project Mr. Frond assigned you guys this year. Louise would be trying to find an excuse for a fire. Things would fall apart and just when we thought all was lost. Something amazing would happen and it would be a great holiday after all." Tina replied.
"Do you think today will be good?" Gene questioned.
"I think we will get through, but it won't be like our usual Thanksgivings." Tina replied.
"Will things ever be normal again?" Gene questioned.
"Yes, but not like how they used to be normal." Tina replied.
"I know that you never get over losing somebody, but I am scared about the idea of being sad forever." Gene confessed.
"Me too but we won't always be sad all the time or even most of the time." Tina assured recalling Dr. Elena's words.
"Being happy scares me too. Because if I am happy, I am forgetting." Gene sighed.
"Being happy means that the sad parts are getting harder to remember but the happy times are getting clearer." Tina explained.
"Did Dr. Elena say that?" Gene asked.
"No Pop, Pop said that." Tina recalled.
"That's really insightful." Gene commented.
"Yeah, I am glad I can talk to him and Dr. Elena. The school counselor Dr. Monroe." Tina replied.
"Yeah, I am getting great support from Dr. Elena, Pop, Pop, and my Over Eaters group." Gene agreed.
"Have you talked to Mr. Frond?" Tina asked.
"Not really, he's been weird since Louise died. Really quiet and he doesn't use the dolls anymore." Gene commented.
"He did always have a soft spot for Louise." Tina recalled.
"She was special to a lot of people. I am glad I am not alone in missing her, but it makes me sad to think about how many people were hurt by her death." Gene sighed.
The loss of Louise Belcher had sent Philip Front into a deep depression. Being the school guidance counselor offered a unique hardship. Having to be sympathetic and attentive to children who were mourning. When he himself wanted to give up. There were numerous occasions where in he composed his resignation email to Principal Spoors. He was so close to hitting send on the last one but ultimately erased the email and changed it to be informing his boss of a vacation. He left as soon as school let out on Friday and would not return until after the winter break. He had put in a recommendation for a temporary replacement for those weeks. Currently he was down in Florida visiting his aunt. His mother was enjoying spending time with her sister, and he was just glad to be away from Seymour's Bay and the grief of losing one of his favorite students.
It was Thanksgiving and he had run to the store to get a few last-minute items for his family. Suddenly there was a loud crash followed by a scream. He whirled around to see an elderly woman sitting dazed on the floor, a display crumpled beside her glass and gravy were spewed everywhere. The woman was laughing and playing in the glass like a small child in the sand. At first Mr. Frond assumed she was suffering from Alzheimer's or maybe a developmental disorder. Until the smell hit him the woman reeked of alcohol, dried urine, and body odor. His heart broke even more when he realized who the women was.
"Linda! I told you to wait in the car! You haven't bathed in days! Did you pee yourself again?! Where did you get that flask?!" Gayle cried.
"Wanted wine. Got flask from dad. What do you know I did have to pee!" Linda cried reaching her hand into her underpants her hand was soaked and another puddle was forming around her."
"Linda" Gayle sobbed.
"Gayle it's OK. Let's get her outside." Mr. Frond whispered kneeling down beside his ex-girlfriend.
Mr. Frond helped Gayle lift Linda off the floor. She was now singing and incoherent Christmas song off key. She kept reaching down and fiddling with her now completely soaked pants. To make things worse each time Gayle or Frond moved her hand. She would touch a display or try to shake hands with a stranger. She tousled the hair of a Hispanic boy who looked nothing like Louise and commented how much he resembled her dead daughter. They were halfway to the exit when Linda evacuated her bowels. It was a nasty foamy diarrhea that seemed endless. Gayle was crying and Mr. Frond ended up swinging Linda up on his back and running out of the store with her. Gayle followed close behind crying like a frightened child. Upon arriving to the car Linda was now crying and saying she wanted to shop completely unaware she was drenched in her own filth. It took Gayle, Frond, and a store manager who regretfully informed Gayle she would need to fill out an incident report. To wrestle Linda into the car. Where she immediately passed out. Frond waited by the car and watched Linda. While Gayle filled out the report.
"Thank you, Philip." Gayle said after once again leaving the store.
"It's no trouble. Although I am sad to see Linda like this." Mr. Frond admitted.
"It's killing me. This isn't the Linda I know. She isn't the big sister who was always looking out for me. It's like she went crazy after Louise died. I am trying to help her, but she won't listen to me. She just wants booze and pills. I found needles in her drawer the other day. I keep telling mom and dad how sick she is, but they won't hear it. They say she is just grieving, and I need to leave her be. I can't do this much longer. I want to take her home, but I can't put that on Bob and the kids. I tried to get her committed but that's only so long and because she isn't a direct threat. She has to consent to being admitted." Gayle explained through tears.
"Gayle, I don't know much about adults and mental health. I wouldn't even know where to begin helping Linda, but I am down here for the next month or so. After that well my phone number is still the same. Ya knows if you ever need to vent. Then when I get home, I can look for somewhere that may be able to help her." Mr. Frond offered.
"Thank you, Phillip." Gayle sniffed.
"It's no problem." Mr. Frond assured.
"Gaayyylllleee killed Frosty! Cause's she's no fun!" Linda sang.
"Crap she's waking up. I've got to go!" Gayle cried jumping into the car.
"I'll follow you home!" Mr. Frond offered.
Back in Seymour's Bay the rest of the Belchers' holiday was saved by Teddy. Well actually by Kathleen's neighbor. Her family was just her and her fifteen-year-old daughter and ten-year-old son, but her brother was supposed to come with his family. Unfortunately, the family had fallen ill overnight and would now be unable to attend the dinner. She had already bought everything and not wanting it to go to waste. She went around asking her neighbors if they needed anything. When she got to Kathleen's place. Teddy was just sitting down to his small dinner with Kathleen. His mind immediately went to the Belchers. With the help of Kathleen and her neighbors. He delivered the meal to the Bobs, Tina, and Gene.
Even though the turkey was thawed. It would still be hours before the family ate. Still, they were grateful their prayers were answered, and they would still be able to have a semi normal holiday. The Bob's went to the kitchen and began preparing the meal. While Tina and Gene went to the living room to make a center piece. Tina reassembled the cornucopia she had made in Thundergirls years ago. While Gene got to work making brightly colored hand turkeys. Now the table was set, and the centerpiece was displayed. Still, something was missing. Without a word Tina left the table. She returned moments later with Kuchi Kopi in her hands. She gently slipped him into the cornucopia. While Gene taped a hat and turkey tail to him.
"Now it's perfect." Tina whispered.
"It is" Gene agreed.
"Thank you for including your sister." Bob whispered.
"No problem it was just so strange without her." Tina sighed.
"To Louise" Bob declared raising his glass.
"To Louise" The rest of the family agreed.
"And mommy" Gene said meekly raising his glass.
"And Linda" The others agreed.
"And my Tina. Whom my eldest grandchild was named for." Big Bob called.
"And the first Tina Belcher." The others agreed.
"And to everybody who has been with us through this ordeal." Tina said.
"And to everybody who has been with us through this ordeal." Everybody confirmed.
After a few more toasts the family went about eating their dinner in near silence. Midway through the meal Bob excused himself. He closed himself in his room and let the tears flow. He was not going to fall as far as he had when Louise first died but he still needed time before he would be well again.
When dinner was over Big Bob quietly cleaned up after the family. His heart broke seeing his son struggle with grief the way had all those years ago and for so many years. Though he took comfort in knowing that Bobby was working hard to get better before he went totally away the way he had.
Tina took Kuchi Kopi to her room. She held him in her hands and thought about how upset Louise would have been knowing they had put tape and paper on her expensive collectable. She held the toy close and let tears fall. Holidays were going to be weird from now on but at least she had her family.
Gene closed the door to his room and texted his sponsor. Who suggested he go for a walk to distract himself from the thoughts of all the leftovers. With nothing better to do. Gene called goodbye to his family and made his way around the block. He soon found himself on that horrible street. Louise's memorial had been reduced to a small white cross in a vacant lot nearby. He laid the turkey on the ground beside the new memorial.