"Cassia? Wake up!", the small voice of 4,000 year old Poof said, shaking his older sister out of her bed. Cassia moaned as she opened her green eyes to find Poof, lingering over her.
"Alright, alright Poof! Geez! I'm awake.", Cassia yawned, prompting Poof to move off the bed so she could get up, "Ugh..today's the day, ain't it."
"Yeah.", Poof said sadly, "I'm scared."
"Well, at least we'll be at Grandpa and Grandma Fairywinkle's this year. Hopefully it won't be like the last time we were all together. You remember when we all went out for lunch at the bistro?"
"Yeah. Grandma Cosma's mean.", Poof pouted as Cassia nodded her head, "Why is she so mean Cassia? And why does she hurt Grandpa?"
"I-I wish I knew Poof. We"ll…uh..w-well I really don't see Grandma and Grandpa Cosma showing up to this thing, so I think we'll be fine anyways. Ok, I'm gonna get in the shower before Mom and Dad start getting on our cases."
"Cassia! Poof! Are you two getting ready up there? We have to leave in an hour!", Wanda called from downstairs, making Cassia smirk.
"Too late."
After Poof and Cassia had both had their turn in the bathroom, they gathered with their parents in the living room downstairs, both of them dusting off any left over dirt from their clothes. Once they knew they were all ready, Wanda motioned for the rest of the family to gather closer and hold onto her, taking her wand and poofing the family towards a large, white mansion with gold and purple details and accents. Wanda rang the doorbell, before her father, Big Daddy, came in the kitchen, hugging Wanda and glaring at Cosmo.
"Sugar Plum! You made it! Ooh, how are you, princess?", he laughed, before looking at Cosmo, "Hey there, idiot."
"Uh.."
"Daddy please, not in front of our kids. Today's supposed to be a happy day.", Wanda scolded lightly as Big Daddy looked down at the kids, looking somewhat apologetic.
"Oh..hehe..how you two doin'? You miss your favorite grandpa?"
"Yeah yeah!", Poof cheered, as Big Daddy picked him up and gave him a hug. "Happy thanksgiving!"
"Happy thanksgiving to you too, lambchop. Now, how's about you all come inside? Food's not ready yet but I figured it must be cold outside."
Cassia and her parents were then led into a long hallway, with dark purple walls and chandeliers hanging 15 ft apart from each other. The floor was marble, and the kitchen, as they approached it, had a stainless over and marble countertops, paired with black drawers and cabinets. Wanda's mother, Yolonda, was busy cooking away, setting timers, and making sure dishes were set right.
"Hi Mom! Wow…you're looking good.", Wanda said, as she saw her mother in a cleaner, purple dress, and her hair was curled up nicely, with a pearl necklace around her neck. Her face also sported more natural make-up, as opposed to the pounds of make up she'd wear when going out clubbing.
"Thank you, Wanda. You know, rehab has been really helping me a lot. Uh..thanks for getting me that number anyways.", Yolonda smiled as she saw Cassia and Poof come up to hug her, "Awww, happy thanksgiving kids! Gobble gobble!"
Poof jumped up and down in excitement as Cassia laughed slightly, Yolonda having the time of her life.
"Oh, Grandma Yo-Yo's got presents for the both of you!"
"Yolonda, you spoil those kids rotten. Anymore, you're gonna turn them into Blonda.", Big Daddy, just barely heard over the television that played the Fairy World Mall Parade.
"Oh shush Miguel, you know they deserve it. Besides, having to put up with that lady for a grandmother. Heck, these two deserve the world.", Yolonda said, bending down and handing them two large lollipops, "Here, you two can have these after dinner. Don't want you daddy or Grandpa Cosma coming after me."
"Wait, Grandpa Cosma?", Cassia's heart dropped (thankfully, Poof was distracted putting the suckers away), "They're coming to."
"Well…yeah, Cassia. B-but don't worry! Your Grandpa Big Daddy and I will be watching over things. If they try anything, you can bet they'll be kicked out and locked out."
"Wait, Yolonda?", Grandpa Big Daddy's attention was suddenly caught, "You invited the Cosmas? You really think that's a good idea after the last time they acted?"
"Yeah…Miguel, meet me in our room. I was hoping to talk to you about that.", Yolonda said, before waving the kids off towards their parents, "If the doorbell rings, someone answer please. Miguel and I won't be too long."
Cassia's heart broke as she watched Poof mindlessly stare at the TV, without a care in the world. She had previously told him not to worry about them, to not expect them coming over, but now, Cassia suffered in silence as she imagined Poof's world crushed into a million pieces. Cosmo and Wanda sat not too far from the kids, both exchanged worried glances, as they waited for the Fairywinkles to leave their room. But after a while, the doorbell rang, prompting Cassia to go up and open the door, and just as expected, Nora and Linnie Cosma stood at the door, with a large bottle of whiskey in Nora's hand.
"Uh..H-Hi."
"Hi? HI! Nice attitude you got there? Did your worthless father tell you that? Get outta my way, you little shit.", Nora growled, as she pushed Cassia out of the way, hard enough so that her back would hit the wall.
"Um..h-Hi there, sweetheart. Can I have a hug?", Linnie asked softly, bending down to hug Cassia, giving her a kiss on the cheek, "Aww, I missed you so much! Um..where is everyone?"
"In the living room. Uh, come on.", Cassia led him towards the room, where he hugged both Cosmo and Poof, while shaking hands with Wanda once more, while Cassia sunk down in the velvet couch. In the kitchen, she heard some drawers slam shut and silverware being clinked around, alongside some swigs of the whiskey Nora had brought.
"Where's the damn food? I'm starving!", Nora yelled. "Don't these people know how to fucking host a party? Why, if this was our place, this shit would've been done by now! What the fuck!"
"N-Nora honey, I-I don't think it's ready yet. I-it looks like it almost is though."
"Linnie, shut the hell up! I didn't ask for your input!"
"Hey!", Grandpa Big Daddy's voice finally boomed as he and his wife exited their bedroom, "You better not be talking like that here, especially in front of Cassia and Poof! I ain't got a problem with making you sleep with the fishes, if you get my drift. Now, get the hell outta the kitchen so Yolonda, who you should be very grateful for inviting you at all, can finish our meals."
"And what makes you think you get to bark orders at me? No, you're not-"
"OUT!", Cassia jumped and hid next to Cosmo after hearing her grandfather scream like that, forcing Nora to fly into the living room, and take a seat next to Linnie, who looked even more uncomfortable than when they came inside. Cassia looked over at Poof, who started to form tears in his eyes before Linnie noticed, frowning sadly and reaching his arms towards Poof.
"Sweetie, come here. Aww..honey.", he cooed as he picked up Poof, making Nora roll her eyes and mutter 'spoiled ass brat', "Sweetheart, it'll be ok. It's ok. Aww, shhhh…you're ok. No one's upset at you, sweetie. Shh.."
Nora took another swig of her whiskey as she left the living room, uninterested in her grandson as she wandered around the mansion, hoping to find a bathroom. She stumbled around, bumping into the sides of the hallway before she nearly tripped, dropping the whiskey bottle, and watching it spill everywhere.
"Fucking son of a bitch! God..that was my last fucking bottle, wasn't it. Ugh.."
"What was that? I heard a crash?", Yolonda asked, "Is everything ok in there?"
"Yeah! I'm cleaning this shit up! Ugh..Cassia and Poof ran around in the house after I told them to stop, and they didn't want to listen, so I'm cleaning their shit up!"
"They're both in the living room, Nora. Are you sure you're ok?"
"I said I'm fine, goddamnit! Now leave me alone!", Nora snapped before stepping over river of whiskey to process forward. Walking forward, she finally saw the bathroom and another room that had a large, silver suitcase resting on a desk, with the case top slightly open. After Nora had done what she needed to do, she walked in and opened the suitcase up a bit more, revealing stacks of cash resting on the surface.
"Alright everyone!", Yolonda's voice called, "Dinner's ready! Wash your hands!"
Quickly, Nora took several stacks of the cash and shoved it down her dress, stuffing some in her bra and underwear before running off, right before Linnie came in and slipped, falling in the middle of the hallway.
"Might want to watch where you're going, you stupid jackass!", Nora laughed as she left the hallway. Yolonda and Miguel came in not too long over, noticing Linnie lying down in a stream of whiskey and glass.
"Oh! Linnie, are you ok? Here, I'll help you up.", Yolonda said, as she tried to steady Linnie up right, as Miguel poofed away the whiskey and glass.
"Ooh! O-oh my…thank you…ah eek! O-Oh dear."
"EY COME ON ALREADY! HURRY YOUR FATASSES UP! I'M FUCKING STARVING OVER HERE! IT'S HIS OWN DAMN FAULT FOR TAKING THAT SHIT IN HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE!", Nora screamed from the dining room, banging her fists on the table. "LINNIE, GET YOUR LAZY ASS UP!"
"Grandma Cosma, please stop!", Cassia and Poof begged as they sat down with their parents, Cosmo putting a protective arm around them. Nora looked at the two kids and scowled, pointing her butter knife at the two of them, prompting Wanda to do the same.
"Oh you two…you two don't speak to your own fucking grandmother like that! You know, I outta beat the living shit out of both of you just for that little outburst! If you were in my fucking house, you'd already be getting that ass beat!"
"Well, we're not in your house, so shut up!", Grandpa Big Daddy yelled once more, looking even more tense as she sat down, the table budging slightly. Cassia studied him for a second, and while she knew he was good at dealing with difficult people, there was something about him that seemed..off…like there was another underlying problem that Cassia couldn't figure out. Linnie followed suit, taking the seat near Nora, as Yolonda passed the table, using her wands to place each dish on the table. But even before Yolonda herself could sit down, Nora pulled the table towards her, and ripped over the turkey, grabbing its insides before tossing it aside, and scooping out some dressing.
"Grandma Cosma! We should say grace, first!", Cassia said, before Nora banged on the table once more, throwing her knife at Cassia, who barely dodged it.
"Shut the fuck up, you fucking rat! Don't tell me what to fucking do! I'm an adult, not you! Speak to me like that again, and see what the fuck happens to you!"
"N-Nora please stop. I-I OH!", Without warning, Nora took her right fist before punching Linnie in the right eye.
"You don't fucking tell me what to do either!"
"Ok, that's enough!", Miguel screamed, before grabbing Linnie and Nora up, noticing some stacks of paper sticking out of Nora's alcohol-stained dress, "What's all this shit sticking out your dress."
"What the hell are you talking about?", Nora said before she yelped, Miguel holding her upside down, and shaking all the money out. Cosmo and Wanda covered their children's eyes as Nora's dress was lifted, all the cash falling down like feathers. When he was done, Miguel threw Nora on the ground not too far from Linnie lied, huffing and puffing angrily at Nora. Poof was crying in fear as Cosmo held him, and Yolonda attempted to plea and bed with Miguel. Nora squirmed upright like a worm on concrete, trying to square up against Miguel.
"Miguel, calm down! S-She's not worth it!"
"Get off me, Yolonda! Get Linnie and everyone out of me. Thanksgiving's cancelled."
"B-But"
"NOW!"
Yolonda and the rest of the table ran out as fast as they could, while Miguel pounded his fist together, before launching his punches of Nora, not even letting her come up for breath. Her face started to get purple, her nose was bloody, and several of her teeth was punched out as she begged for mercy, or for Linnie to take the punches for her.
"I-OW! I-It was-OW! STOP! AHHH! LINNIE DID IT! Not me! Stop goddamnit AH!"
"I warned your ass, Nora! But no, you decided to keep shoving your ass where it don't belong!", Miguel yelled, punching and kicked Nora as hard as he could, as she clinched her stomach, blood coming out of her.
"Y-You OW! You don't know who the fuck I am! I will get you arrest- AH! STOP FUCKER!"
"I don't care! Get me arrested! See if I care! Now-", Miguel violently picked Nora up, dragging her towards the door before throwing her out harshly onto the concrete, making sure she landed on her stomach, looking towards Linnie as well, "The both of ya, stay out! You're no longer welcome here! Now, goodbye!"
Yolonda looked sadly as she picked up Poof and held him, Linnie rushing over to call Nora an ambulance before taking Poof from her arms, rocking and hugging him. After a while, Yolonda was eventually let back inside after Nora had gotten picked up. Cassia's family poofed back home and went straight into separate rooms, not one daring to utter another word about today's events.
