Hey hey all!! Sorry its been awhile! I had no power tho!!but I'll make it up! This should be nice and long! Hehe. well here goes! And I know the timing's weird. but I did have this story based in the holiday season at the beginning so u know. Thanks to: crazy4nc128 -heh. ya I was updating fast lmao! Thanks! And go update!

Toby Keith Fanatic -great idea! I hope you do! I'd love that!! I'll be watching. Keep reading!

Deadly Wisteria -lmao, thanks man! Sorry to make u not like Pop!

kimmerkay -I'm so glad u liked the story!! And u read it all at once? That's awesome!! Its my favourite S.E. Hinton book after the outsiders as well!!! Thanks so much!!!!

pony's girl -hehe thanks again for another great review!! Hehe :D

Gold -hehe thanks very much. I will follow ur advice. :D! hehe. It makes me hate pop too, I didn't mean for it to come out like that but hey. hehe anyway thanks!

DallysGirl4Life -hehe, I'll try not to make him die ;) (okie I'll stop being evil now) thanks again!!

MissLKid -hehe thank you for another awesome review!!! Hehe, keep reading:D!

And as always.I own nothing!

Mason's POV

It had been a rocky few days. No change in Tex's condition yet. Man it sucked sitting here just watching him but there was no way I was leaving his side. And today, well today was thanksgiving. It made it all that much harder. We obviously weren't rich but we should at least be eating dinner together, turkey and other food.

I suddenly thought back to the last real normal thanksgiving we had-the one right before mom died.

We were all sitting around the table staring at the food Mom had prepared. Pop was looking into the other room trying to catch the end of the football game. Finally the final touchdown was scored and Pop let out a woo-eee!

He then turned to the food. "Can we eat now? I'm starved!"

Mom spoke up. "First I think we should all say something we're thankful for."

Pop sighed. "Oh come on Clare. The kids are hungry." He turned and pointed at Tex who was stirring his finger in his mashed potatoes. Tex immediately went red and hid his hands at this point. Pop continued. "And I'm hungry. So who cares?"

But mom cared. "I think it's important to recognize our blessings. No matter what, they're always someone worse off than you are so I think we need to be thankful for what we have. I'll start. I'm thankful for the chance to be with my family on this day."

She looked at Tex who was eyeing his mashed potatoes. "Go ahead sweetheart." Tex looked confused. After all he was only three at the time. He probably had no idea what she was talking about. So mom continued. "What are you happy to have?"

Tex looked around. "Mashed potatoes?" Pop and I laughed and mom shot us a look.

"Mace?" Mom asked. I thought for a minute. I didn't really know what to say. I was only like six. Finally I replied. "Lem's new horse he lets us ride." Now I really wish I'd have said something more meaningful, maybe something about having a mother, and a brother. I'd sure change my answer now though. Not to mention because of my extreme hatred for Lem Peters now.

Mom smiled and looked at Pop. So he said. "I'm thankful for- the hamburger!"

Mom shot him a dirty look. "That's really nice."

Pop answered. "Well Tex got to answer food."

Mom sighed. "He's three!"

Pop smiled. "Alright, alright! I'm thankful for the cow."

Mom smiled. And pop continued. "FOR GIVING US THE HAMBURGER!" And he started laughing. I remember laughing too. And Tex seeing us laughing joined in even though he didn't understand why.

I remember the look of disappointment on Mom's face. But that's about all I remember. Except that it was only a few months until the fight that caused her death.

Sorry Mom but right now I couldn't feel all that thankful. I just sighed and tried to think of something else.

Pop was just as immature now as he was then if not more. You think he'd be here with us right now. But no. He still came and went as he pleased. It was really starting to make me mad. Sure he was here when he needed to be the last few days but it was obvious to me he didn't care as much as he should.

"Mason?"

I shook my head and looked around. I forgot that there were other people in here with me. Bob and Jamie were here. And Johnny was even up here lying in the empty bed. The doctors had been nice enough to let him up in a wheelchair and allow this. And Cole and Mona were here as well.

We were having our own thanksgiving. Well sort of. As much as you can in a hospital room. I had told them to go home and have a good thanksgiving. But since Johnny really couldn't leave yet and they didn't want me to be alone on the holiday we were all together in here. Well most of us. Of course Pop wasn't here.

"Hmm?"

It was Cole. "I asked you if you liked light or dark meat."

"Oh sorry. Um it doesn't matter. I guess light if you have some left."

Bob spoke up now. "Jeez Mace. You look like you're a million miles away."

"Sorry." I said as I was handed a plate.

Just then I heard footsteps behind me. I turned to see Pop. He walked in the room.

Nobody said anything for awhile. To everyone's surprise it was Cole who spoke up first. "Why don't you join us?" We were all shocked. This mustn't have been easy for him. We all knew how much Cole Collins hated Pop.

Pop smiled. "Don't mind if I do." I could smell beer on his breath as he said this.

This made me mad. "So Pop. Would you be going to bars if it was me in this hospital bed?" Everybody looked at me as if I was shocked.

But Pop didn't deny it. "Look Mace. I've been here most of the time. I just needed a little break. I'm sorry if it's hard to sit here all day. It's just hard Mace."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm sure that's it."

Bob interrupted probably because he knew something was going to start. "Hey Mace? What do you want to drink?"

I totally ignored him and went back to Pop. "Hey don't worry about it. It's your choice if you'd rather sit in a bar then with your seriously ill son."

Pop started. "Mace it's-" But I interrupted him before he could continue.

I don't know what came over me. I knew I shouldn't have said anything I was about to say but I was too frustrated and angry to care. I kept my voice at the same level and still kept my eyes focused on Tex's bed, not pop. "But I guess it doesn't though. Not like he's your son anyway."

Everyone else in the room was silent.

Pop spoke quietly now. "Mason. You better shut your mouth."

I spoke louder now though, pretty much yelling. I got to my feet. "Come on Pop! You know what I'm talking about! You remember, when you were in jail. Mom met that rodeo guy."

Pop was yelling now too. "Mason! I'm warning you now to shut your mouth!"

"Or what? You'll skin me. Like you always said you'd do if I told anyone! Go ahead! You wouldn't do that to your 'real' son right? Just cause he wasn't your real son, you're the only father he's ever know. You coulda just acted like it once in awhile!!"

I didn't get a chance to continue. Pop ran over and jumped on me. We started rolling around on the floor. I didn't care. I was mad. Before it could get too far Bob and Cole were pulling us apart. Pop and I both stood up.

Cole turned to Pop. "I think you'd better leave."

Pop looked angry. "Already gunna." He turned and walked out angrily.

I turned to everyone. They all looked shocked. Even Mona.

I spoke softly. "Sorry about that everyone. I just let my temper get the better of me. And I bet you're all wondering. He went to jail for bootlegging. But I'm sorry you had to see that."

Everyone at once started shaking their heads. "Oh no, it's fine, don't sweat it." And comments like that filled the air.

Cole spoke up now. He was really starting to surprise me today. Especially after what he just heard. "It's okay. We know that you're under a lot of stress. And we also know that he can be a little outta hand."

He pause and I nodded. He nodded back and continued. "Now, let's get eating! Why don't we all say what we're thankful for so we can hurry up and eat."

I felt my face drop. Before I knew it I was walking sadly out of the room.