"Next is Gizmo and Smokey," Ang said, reading the square card she'd pulled out of a bag. "But what I really mean is all of our beloved pets, old and new," she added, with a smile toward Angie who had a sleeping Pumpkin in her lap as she herself sat in Grace's lap.

Everyone present wanted in on Thanksgiving Bingo, so after filling out their cards, they found spots to sit or stand in the living room and dining room with Grandma Ang in the center calling the game.

"I have a square for Midnight and a square for all our family pets and a square for the animals I take care of at the shelter," Kaitlyn said.

"Not one for all the animals in the world?" Dylan teased.

"Ohhh," Kaitlyn said seriously, looking down at her card. "I should have done that."

"I say that means you can cover all those squares," Ang said with a smile. "And since I'm the bingo caller, what I say goes."

"I put Cammie and Pumpkin and Gizmo and Smokey and Scout and Midnight in the same square," DJ said. "See?" He pointed to the square on his card, showing Aaron who was seated on the floor between him and Joan.

"I'm impressed you got all those names in one square!" Aaron said, smiling warmly at the young boy.

"I got dat one, Gwace?" Angie asked, looking up at her cousin for help.

"You sure do, cutie," Grace said, dropping a quick kiss on her head before pointing. "We both do. Yours is right here."

"Yay!" Angie exclaimed, and placed a bingo chip where Grace pointed. She looked across the room to where her parents sat together. "I got dat one, Mommy!"
"I see, that's great, honey," Catherine said, smiling warmly. She leaned over to rub Cammie's head affectionately. "We are all very thankful for our furry family members."

"Agreed," Joseph said.

Ang chuckled when she pulled the next of her calling cards from the bag. She looked around with a faux-glare. "Some of you better have this one on your cards." She turned it around. "The Cubs."

Elizabeth laughed and raised a hand. "We do," she said, motioning to the card she and Joseph were sharing.

"So do we," added Catherine and Steve grinned.

"Cubbies!" Angie said, throwing both hands into the air, which woke Pumpkin. The little kitten stretched and then jumped off of Angie's lap before bounding over and settling down next to Cammie.

"I have Rizzo, Grandma Ang," DJ said. "Does that count?"

"Absolutely, sweet boy."

"He's the best Cub," DJ told Aaron seriously.

"So I've heard," Aaron said, fighting a grin.

"Hey, hey, hey, you gotta ask the judge if that's okay," Carrie said, stopping John from covering a square on his card.

"What's that?" Ang asked.

"John is trying to cover his Orioles square," Carrie said.

"Tattle-tale," he mock-whispered, chuckling when she elbowed him.

Ang tapped her chin, pretending to think. "Well, it's not the Cardinals, so I'll allow it."

"Safety," Grandma Ang called and everyone covered a square.

Steve kissed Catherine's temple as she marked two squares on their card. He'd written that they were able to keep everyone safe, and she'd written the team had stayed safe another year.

"I put our house is a safe place," DJ told Grace, who smiled as she complimented his choice as she, like Catherine, covered the team's safety on her own card.

"Safety of our troops here and abroad," Joseph had written, while Leilani showed Joan her square reading, "Keeping my patients safe and sound," as Chin looked on and smiled.

"Safety means a lot of different things to everyone, and we're all thankful for it, right, Mama?" Joan pointed out.

"Right, peanut. And keeping you safe is number one for me and Daddy." She kissed her daughter's head.

"This is so fun!" Joan said as Ang pulled another tile. "I love how we always tell what we're thankful for, but thankful BINGO is the most fun way to do it."

"We may have a new tradition." Deb beamed at her great niece's usual enthusiasm.

"Health," Ang read from the card in her hand.

"Number one for me," Deb said with a nod. At DJ's serious look, she added, "I'm fine, darling. My, you knit your brows just like your daddy. I was sick a few years ago but some wonderful doctors fixed me up and now I'm right as rain."

"Oh, good!" He scooted closer to hug her before returning to his spot between Aaron and Jacob. "I love you, Aunt Deb."

"And I love you right back." Her smile remained as her eyes drifted to Catherine's. "Every one of you."

"All the adults had that one," Jacob pointed out, and Elizabeth exchanged a happy and knowing look with her mom.

"Fun and games," Ang read the next one with a smile.

Joan's hand shot up along with DJ's, and Angie followed suit, leaning back to look up at Grace. "I got dat one?"

"You got it." Grace snuggled the giggling three year old. "You have flipping and playing with DJ and swimming with Mommy and Daddy." She laughed out loud at the amused looks from the others. "I asked her what was the most fun. She had about ten so I put the first three." She shrugged.

"I did three, too," DJ said with a laugh. "I put baseball and learning to surf and family game night."

"I have princess monopoly with Mama and Daddy and riding my bike with pink streamers!" Joan added. "With no training wheels!"

"Obstacle courses and family game nights. Especially when Cody comes too." Jacob grinned at his brother who was smiling back.

"Building robots," Dylan said. "What?" he asked at the side-eyed look from Mary. He chuckled. "That's fun for me."

"You're going to invent something one of my companies can build someday." Adam nodded at the teenager. "I'm sure of it."

"I'll take that bet," Kono winked. "And I put…"

"...Surfing," Chin, Adam and Casey said together.

"Anything with my beautiful daughter," Danny said with a grin. "And my nieces and nephews." He pointed to the other kids. "Wait, unless they're skydiving…"

Grace laughed when Steve said, "You have a fun disclaimer?"

"I do, Steven. Because unlike you, I don't dive out of perfectly functional aircraft or purposely swim with things that can eat me."

"See, now you're on my page," Mary agreed. "I got zero of the 'skydiving is fun' genes."

"If you ever want to skydive, Joan, Uncle Steve'll totally take you," Grace offered.

When his seven year old said, "Oooh really?" Aaron palmed his face at his brother in law's huge grin.

Kaitlyn squeezed Ang's hand as she said, "And of course we all know Grandma Ang's favorite game."

"BINGO!" Angie called, "Gwandma Ang love BINGO!"

As Ang reached for another item, Steve leaned in and whispered, "Crossword puzzles and twister?" in Catherine's ear and they shared a smirk when she whispered, "Kids have a sleepover soon, so those can definitely be arranged."

His eyes held hers when Grandma read the next one, "Support."

Steve covered the space and squeezed Catherine's hand. "Yours is the reason everyone in this room is here."

"And yours is why so many of these kids are doing such amazing things." She pecked his lips. "And why our kids will always know you're one hundred percent behind them forever."

Joseph covered their support square and kissed Elizabeth's temple. "I'd never have had as successful a naval career without my wonderful wife and daughter supporting me every step of the way." He beamed at Catherine who returned the sentiment to her parents and grandmother.

"Steve's support of us all makes the team function so well," Chin said with a nod. "Thanks for that, brah."

"Agreed," Kono added. "And Chin always being there for me."

"I would never have had the confidence to go all the way to California on my own for college without the support of my mom and my brothers and sister," Casey said. "And having Mary, Aaron and Joan and Aunt Deb there for me whenever I need anything makes being so far away from home a little easier."

"We're happy to do it," Mary and Aaron said in unison.

Jenna smiled affectionately. "And I love my job but there's no way I could do it well without my kids supporting me AND each other when I have to put in long hours."

"No problem," Jacob said, causing all the adults in the room to smile.

"And if I can have a second one," Jenna continued, "I'm very proud of the way Cody supported and continues to support Jess's dream of studying abroad even though I know how much he misses her."

When everyone looked at Cody he blushed. "Ok, enough about me. Let's move on."

Ang pulled another card from the bag and her face softened as she saw what was on it. "Now this is one I'm sure is on everyone's card …"

Joan gasped. "I bet I know!" She slapped a hand over her mouth but her eyes danced as she waited for Grandma Ang to confirm her guess.

"Go ahead, angel," Ang said.

"Family!"

"That's right," Ang confirmed. "The thing I am most thankful for, today and every day."

Every hand in the room shot up at pretty much the same time with a loud cry of BINGO!

Ang smiled widely as everyone shared the various descriptions of family life they had on their cards. Her eyes sparkled as she addressed the entire room.

"Definitely a new family tradition."

#End. Thanks for reading!

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