I do not own.
"Here it is." Beverly pulled a small box from the back of the cupboard.
"What is it, mama?" Angel craned his neck to see what his mother was holding.
"This is Nana's secret recipe for the perfect Thanksgiving dinner." She pulled some index cards out of the box.
"Nana?" Angel asked.
"She's grandpappy's mother. You met her last year before she passed." Beverly said sadly.
Angel crinkled his brow. "Oh, she gave me some chocolate covered marshmallows. I likeed them."
"They were homemade. Nana was big on making everything from scratch." Beverly noted.
"I never got to eat them again." Angel continued as if his mother spoke.
"It's not good for you. That was a one time treat especially since she made it by hand. She left me all her recipes when she passed. So, in honor of her this Thanksgiving I'm going to make her recipes." She declared.
"Are you going to make the marshmallows?" Angel asked.
"Probably not. But I'll make the cranberry sauce, stuffing, mash potatoes, brussels sprouts, candied yams, green bean casserole, turkey, and pumpkin pie." Beverly flipped through the cards.
"Well, better you than Aunt Becca." Angel blurted out.
Beverly coughed. "Aunt Becca is not a bad cook… it's she's uh… she's… oh! Look at the time, go get Papi."
Angel was sure that they had plenty of time, but he did what he was told.
He walked into the living room. "Papi? Mami, wants me to get you."
Caesar put his paper down. "Get me for what?"
Angel shrugged. "I don't know. She didn't say."
Caesar seemed to weigh his choices and consequences before finally putting his paper down. He wandered into the kitchen. "You need something, querida?"
"I need you to get to the supermarket and pick up some items for Thanksgiving dinner." Beverly finished writing her list and handed it to him. Angel intercepted it. He stared at the list before handing it to his father.
Caesar skimmed the list before folding it and putting it in one of the pockets on his vest.
"I'll go tomorrow." He said. "The lines must be terrible right now."
"If you go early, I guess it won't be so bad." Beverly agreed.
"Can I go with you, Papi?" Angel asked.
"If you can wake up early enough..." Caesar ruffled his hair.
"Ok." Angel agreed.
0o0
"Papi?" Angel whispered.
Caesar snorted and rolled over.
"Papi." Angel tried again.
Caesar didn't respond.
Angel gripped his father's shoulder and shook him vigorously. "Papi!" He hissed.
Caesar snapped up. "I didn't leave the Bunsen burner on!"
"Papi, it's time to go shopping." Angel said.
Caesar glanced at the clock. "Mijo, it's 6AM. The supermarkets don't open till 8."
"We can get a head start." Angel said.
Beverly, who was still sleeping, muttered something before settling back to sleep.
Caesar and Angel held their breath until she was softly snoring.
Caesar pulled the covers back and got out of bed. He took Angel's hand and led him outside.
Once outside he knelt to look his son in the eye.
"Mijo, it's too early. The markets won't be open for another two hours." Caesar tried to explain.
"But what if there's a line?" Angel asked. "We can be the first one there and get what Mami wants."
"There won't be a line." Caesar said firmly.
An hour later they were in the parking lot staring at the line snaking around the building.
"Told ya." Angel said.
Caesar wordlessly took his son's hand and walked to the end of the line. The market didn't open for another half hour but there was a huge line already.
When they door opened, people rushed in grabbing carts and pouring down the aisles decimating the shelves. By the time Caesar and Angel got to the door all the carts were gone. Caesar had to get two baskets.
"What do we get first?" Angel asked his father holding one of the baskets.
Caesar looked for the list. "Huh, the list is… the list is…" He went through all his pockets on his vest. "I seem to have misplaced the list."
"Oh, I remember what was on it." Angel announced.
"You do?" Caesar sounded relieved.
"Sure." Angel shot off.
"Wait! Wait for me." Caesar chased after his son.
Angel being smaller was able to weave between people. Caesar had a harder time squeezing through.
When he finally reached his son, his basket was already full.
"Here, papi! I need the other basket." Angel pushed the full basket towards his father while holding his hand out for his.
"Mijo, listen. You have to let me do this. Now what do we need to get?" Caesar picked up the full basket but not relinquishing the empty one.
Angel sighed. "We just need the turkey now."
Caesar nodded and walked toward the meat section. A large crowd of people surrounded the opened refrigerator filled with turkey. Caesar tried to get through.
"Excuse me. Pardon me." He said as he tried to through the wall of people.
"Hey, get in line." A large man pushed him back.
Caesar stumbled back before he regained his footing. "Sir," He said calmly. "There does not appear to be a line unless your definition of line is different than mine."
The man's ears turned red. "You calling me stupid?"
"I don't think so. I'm merely calling out that there seems to be a discrepancy in perspective…" He didn't finish as the man swung at him.
Caesar, familiar with this response, automatically ducked. The momentum spun the man around so that he collided with another person who was pushed into more people. Soon there was shoving and shouting. Caesar was trying to figure out how to get through the all out brawl while dodging the flying bags and fists.
"Papi, I got the turkey." Angel tugged on his father's coat.
Caesar looked down in surprised. Angel was carrying a large bird in his arms.
"How?" Caesar gapped at him.
"I went between their legs." He started to buckle under the weight of the bird.
Caesar quickly grabbed the bird and started moving towards the check out oblivious that the police had shown up.
Caesar and Angel walked out with their groceries as more cop cars pulled into the lot. They were starting to shut down the market.
"Why are there so many police, Papi?" Angel asked.
"Uh… I'm not sure." Caesar gulped as he ushered his son to the car. "But we better not be late or mami will kill us."
"Mami, won't kill us." Angel said confidently. "Just you."
"Thank you, mijo," Caesar muttered.
0o0
"Perfect." Beverly beamed as she looked at the haul. "You got everything."
"Yes, Angel was a big help." Caesar admitted.
"That's my boy." Beverly gave her son a one-armed hug.
"Yeah, papi would have had a hard time getting through that fight." Angel declared.
"What fight?" Beverly asked startled.
"Oh, nothing important." Caesar interrupted. "Mijo, don't you have something important to do?"
"No." Angel said.
"I think you do." Caesar eyed his son.
Angel got the hint. "Okay, papi." He walked out of the kitchen.
Beverly looked at her husband suspiciously. "What happened, Caesar?"
Angel walked back to his room. From under his shirt he pulled out a bag. Papi didn't notice that he threw in a bag of chocolate marshmallows into the basket. He figured he deserved a little something for helping papi. a piece of paper also floated to the ground. It was the grocery list. Angel picked it up and crumbled it up before tossing it into his little wastepaper basket. Opening the bag of chocolate marshmallows, he realized it melted a little. Quickly he unwrapped it and popped it into his mouth. Not a bad day's work.
Yeah, the kids are evil.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I'm grateful to each and everyone of you. Hopefully, I can get out of my funk soon and continue writing. Meanwhile be well, stay safe, and take care.