"I'm gonna get you, better start runnin'."
"Nu-uh can't catch me!"
Theodore chased his three year old niece down the hallway, attempting to imitate a fast moving tyrannosaurus. Little Terrie let out a scream and giggled her way past the kitchen door which opened nearly into Ted's face.
"Would you stop clownin' around and help Mama set the table?" His sister, Sarah said holding a plate full of mashed sweet potatoes above her head so her half brother didn't knock them to the floor.
"Aw, did you hear that? Mommy says we have to boring and serious," He said scooping his niece up, she giggled again.
Sarah, 23 and still older than Theodore was, rolled her eyes and moved the dish to the dining room where both the kitchen and dining table had been squished together and they'd still need a card table at the end to fit everyone in. Teddy loved holidays with his family, it was the only time when the people who liked him kept the people who didn't like him from talking badly about him behind his back. Well, most of the time.
He pretended like he never heard them, Sarah's father--his step father, bad mouthing him in the living room. 'He still doesn't have a real job, you know.' Papa would always say, 'just fixes peoples cars, don't know how he makes it as well as he does and I don't want to know.'
Theodore was 21, still short but muscular, hair black, no sign of grey or starting to bald. His face was clean shaven, mostly for his Grandmother who always wanted him to look nice. Dressed in Sunday's finest, which, for his economical state, wasn't too fine.
Theodore put Terrie down and let her run off to watch the snow drift by the window. He smiled to his cousins, answering a million questions with 'yes'em' and 'sho'nuff'. He grabbed silverware out of Sarah's hand and started to set them next to the plates as usual.
"You still with that guy," he asked his sister, "What's his name…Ross…Ron.."
"Rob," she corrected, straightening her button up shirt. Sarah was the successful one of the two, had a daughter, a secretary job and a nice fella.
"Right, Rob. You two getting married anytime soon?"
"Why do you care so much, Ted."
Theodore put his hands up, he didn't want to hear about the 'floosies' he hung around with and he definitely didn't want Sarah sayin' anything about 'those boys' around Mama, "Just askin'. I get to ask questions, Jesus knows y'all ask me plenty."
"Yeah well Jesus doesn't sell nose candy and sleep with hookers," Sarah snapped in a harsh whisper.
"You know, I'm getting the feeling you don't exactly love me, Sissy."
"I love you Teddy, Lord help me," Sarah said and adjusted the knifes which she thought her half brother had placed too far away from the plates, "But I sure as hell don't trust you, especially around my baby girl."
"I'd never touch, she's kin, you know that…ooh, pie!" Theodore said and perked seeing his grandmother walk through the door baring four pies.
"There's my little Teddy bear," his grandmother said putting the pies down and wrapping her frail arms around the young Bagwell.
"Hey, Mammy, all this snow we were thinking you wouldn't make it."
Mammy waved her hand, "You got fish for brains? You think a little snow storm's enough to keep me from seein' all y'all?"
Theodore laughed and excused himself from the flurry of hugging. He looked in the kitchen, his mother was stirring something in a pot, frying something else and preparing plates. Theodore smiled still, of all the people in the house Mama was the only one who didn't dislike him even a little. Which was reassuring.
"Hey, Mama…can I ask you something?"
"Hold this for a second, Teddy," Mama said shoving a plate full of warm casserole.
"Sho'nuff," Teddy said trying to keep from dropping it, "Mama…I have a question."
"Well spit it out, don't just talk about it."
Theodore smiled and that and looked down, "Do I have to sit next to Daddy? You know he hates me."
"Theodore J. Bagwell, your daddy loves you very much."
"He's not my real daddy, Mama and he hates me," Teddy said putting the dish on the counter and putting his hands in his pockets, "I know yo--"
"Teddy, you stop bad mouthin' your daddy and take this plate out there right now, you hear me?" She said and picked up the casserole giving it to him again, "you're sittin' next to him and that's final; it's the way we always done, and that's the way it's always gonna be done, hear me?"
"Yes Mama," Teddy grumbled and pushed his way out of the kitchen to the table.
"Ted," His stepfather sighed from behind him and Teddy straightened, turning around. He tried his best to hide the sneer on his lips and the hate in his eyes.
"Frank." He called him 'Frank' whenever he could, which was whenever Mammy and Mama weren't in earshot.
"Nice to see you, I guess with all this snow for free no one wants any of yours, huh? Everyone all snug inside, no one to stab."
Theodore bit his tongue for a second, "M'rry Christmas to you too, Frank."
"Everyone sit down, here comes the turkey!" Sarah announced and put Terrie in her seat. Chair pulled out and everyone sat down in near ritualistic movements as Mama emerged from the kitchen baring the turkey, golden brown and smelling delectable as she sat it in the center of the table.
Frank sat at the head of the table, Mama on his right, Theodore one his left. Way at the other end was Mammy, the other twenty three cousins, aunts, uncles and grandkids filled up the rest of the chairs. Everyone put their forearms on the table and held hands.
"Frank, you say Grace," Mama said and everyone bowed there heads.
Theodore closed his eyes, listening to his stepfather talk, trying hard not to think any of it was in reference to him; "Dear Lord, bless us this day on the day of your birth. Give us the wisdom to know right from wrong and the courage to beg your forgiveness for our sins. Teach us to be kind to our fellow man, and treat each and every life as if it were ours, and keep us safe and happy throughout this day when we return to our homes. In God's name we pray, Amen."
"Amen."