Family Thanksgiving
Chapter 1
After Mayport and the James sinking, Mike had rebuilt the Navy again. He had been promoted to Fleet Admiral, only the fifth person to hold that position. He was active duty for life, but had retired. He bought a rambling farmhouse and remodeled it himself, even doing all the cabinets and vanities himself. He had hired an interior designer and the house had become a home.
He just wished he had someone to share it with. He kept himself busy with charity work and meeting up with friends, but he was bored. Friends had tried to set him up on blind dates, but he always felt like he was cheating on his wife.
One of the charities that he worked with a lot was a homeless shelter. He was passionate about helping displaced people, because he imagined Christine or his kids being displaced. Hungry, cold, wet, sick, and scared. Sister Mary had called him and asked him to come to the shelter, hoping his skills as a detective would help a displaced family. He drove to the shelter and headed for the office, with his laptop in hand. As soon as he opened the door, he was greeted by Sister Mary.
"Ah, Michael. Thank you for coming so quickly. The police brought us this family. Our doctor is checking them over now." Sister Mary said as she stood up.
"Police? Are they in trouble?" Mike asked.
"No. It was a courtesy ride." Sister Mary said with a smile.
"What are their names and I'll start searching." Mike said as he sat down and opened the laptop.
"Here it is." Sister Mary said as she handed Mike a piece of paper. On it, there were three names written on it.
"Christine Slattery, age 43.
Kaitlyn Slattery, age 19
Hannah Slattery, age 14
Carson Slattery, age 6
Georgeanna Slattery, age 6
Savannah Slattery, age 6"
Mike looked at Sister Mary in shock. He was confused and then remembered the night before he left. It could have definitely led to triplets. "Where are they?" Mike asked.
"Follow me." Sister Mary instructed. She led him through the hallways and they finally reached the medical area. Mike could hear Christine's voice talking to the doctor and nurse. All he could hope was none of them had been sick. He had not been so nervous in years. "It'll be okay. They've asked for you." Sister Mary said.
"Christine and I were in really bad shape." Mike commented quietly.
"She said she had missed you a lot. Hoped for a fresh start." Sister Mary answered before opening the door. Mike nervously walked in and found an older Hannah sitting on the exam table.
"With it being Thanksgiving this week, finding a dentist is going to be difficult. I'm going to prescribe antibiotics, but it is obvious that her wisdom teeth are badly abscessed." The doctor explained. Mike focused on Hannah and immediately noticed the swelling. None of them had realized he was there until he spoke up.
"Sister Mary had my contact information. Will you be trying to refer her in somewhere?" Mike asked. Christine's head snapped up and Kaitlyn stood up.
"Of course." The doctor answered.
"Good. I'll be taking them with me. I'll also try and call my dentist and see what I can do." Mike answered. The kids were thin, coughing and dirty and Christine looked extremely rough. Her hair was completely salt-and-pepper, she was far too thin and she had a scared look on her face. She had lost the confidence that had annoyed Mike at times.
"I will see to it that you have clothes for tonight and tomorrow." Sister Mary answered. The doctor walked back in with a prescription bottle and handed it to Mike. Christine was nervously chewing on her lip.
"I'll help you." Kaitlyn spoke up and followed Sister Mary out. Mike could tell that Christine was cold because she had her arms crossed on her chest. He took his jacket off and draped it over her shoulders.
"Now, can you tell me which of you is Georgeanna and which is Savannah?" Mike asked the two little girls.
"This is Georgie and that's Savannah." Hannah answered as she gave Mike a smile and finally a hug. Mike held onto her for dear life. Mike would never admit to having a favorite, but Hannah had been his before. He watched Christine as he hugged Hannah and noticed how she nervously moved around the room.
"Hey, Hannah; can you sit with the little kids while I talk to your mom?" Mike asked the young girl and she nodded. He kissed her forehead and then led Christine out of the room.
"Mike, I really wasn't expecting to ever find you again." Christine said. He could tell she was almost in tears.
"I can tell. I tried to find you and the kids. I didn't know about the triplets." Mike said.
"When you called, I wasn't sure we'd ever find each other again and things were so bad. I didn't want you to worry about me being pregnant. I can assure you, they are yours. I know I didn't have a good track record for being faithful, but they are yours. I didn't want you thinking they weren't and making me leave them here." Christine said before breaking down completely. She had cheated on him before and normally he might question the triplet's paternity, but he would never separate a mother from her children. He pulled her into a hug and let her cry into his chest.
"I would never separate you from them, regardless. Now, let's get the kids packed up and to my house. We will figure everything out later." Mike told her gently as he wiped the tears away.
"Okay." Christine agreed as Kaitlyn came down the hallway with a bag full of clothes.
"Its just some underclothes for all of us and pajamas for the triplets. Sister Mary wasn't able to find anything else." Kaitlyn told Mike. He released Christine and put an arm around Kaitlyn. They had also argued a lot before he left for the Arctic, but she seemed different too. She even leaned into him a little, until she started coughing.
"You sound horrible." Mike said.
"The doctor is giving us all a prescription for the coughing." Christine told him and Mike nodded.
"A nice, warm house, a good supper and a full night's sleep will do wonders too." Mike said. He took Christine's hand in his own and led them back to the medical area. Sister Mary was in there bundling the triplets up in coats, scarves, hats and gloves.
"Mike; there is a bag there. It has your laptop, and the other prescriptions in it. As well as a few things for the little ones. I can't imagine you have much in the way of toys." Sister Mary told him and Mike picked it up.
"Thank you." Mike told her. There was so many things to do. Get his wife and kids home, cleaned up, fed, clothed, rested up, bonded with and figure out how to fix his marriage that had been severely fractured when he left. He had told Christine to file for divorce the morning he left. No wonder she was so nervous. She still had a hold of his hand, despite helping Carson put on his stocking hat.
"Let me know if you need anything. Happy Thanksgiving." Sister Mary told him and Mike nodded in response.
"To you too. I will let you know if I get Hannah into a dentist." Mike told her. The two older girls were getting the triplets ready and Mike led them out, the whole time thanking God that he had bought a full-sized SUV, for all of his various projects and charity work. The girls got the triplets buckled in and Mike turned on the heated seats. Even Christine sighed happily.
"This is really nice." Christine said as she touched the leather console between them.
"Wait until you see the house. I had an interior decorator fix it up, but we can change it however you'd like." Mike told her.
"I am sure it will be perfect. Right now, I am only worried about getting the kids fed, warm and feeling better." Christine commented.
"That will be both of our objectives." Mike said. He reached over and put his hand over Christine's and smiled at her.
Soon enough, they had pulled into Mike's driveway and into the garage. Mike was glad that he had turned the heater on, but knew he would be building a fire. "Okay, I'll show you around and you guys can start taking showers and baths while I fix supper and get a fire going. Christine, you can raid my closet for sweats and t-shirts for you and the girls." Mike told her as they walked through the mudroom. They quickly took coats, gloves, shoes, and other things off and Mike let them into the living area.
"Mike, this is beautiful. I love it." Christine said as she looked at the kitchen.
"Good, I'm glad." Mike said as he turned the heat up on the thermostat and then led the kids and Christine up the stairs. He was glad the house was so big. Five bedrooms had seemed extravagant but he was thrilled now. "Christine, my bedroom is in there. It has a big shower and bathtub if you want to take care of the triplets in there? Or maybe one of the girls would help?" Mike asked.
"I'll give Carson his bath, Mom; if you want to give Georgeanna and Savannah a bath and then take your own?" Kaitlyn offered.
"Yeah, we'll do that. Girls?" Christine said as she walked into the bedroom. Savannah and Georgeanna followed her in.
"Use whatever you need." Mike told her. He led Kaitlyn, Hannah and Carson to the other bathrooms and showed them the needed supplies.
While his family got cleaned up and comfortable, Mike fixed a homemade chicken noodle soup and called his own dentist. He was able to get Hannah in the next day, early in the morning. It wasn't ideal, he'd have to pay out of pocket, but she was in misery. He also had to figure out clothing and things for the kids. Just then Tom called.
"What are you doing? Was calling to confirm you were coming to dinner Thursday." Tom asked.
"Actually; probably not. Sister Mary found Christine and the girls, but triplets. They've been homeless. I have to sort out clothes, shoes, and more importantly doctors. I have an emergency appointment with Hannah tomorrow. Her wisdom teeth are badly abscessed." Mike explained.
"Really? Mike; that's amazing!" Tom answered. Mike could tell he was thrilled.
"Right now, its overwhelming." Mike commented.
"How about this? Text me sizes. We'll take care of clothes, shoes and all that. You can handle the other stuff and get to know your kids and wife again. I thought you and Christine were divorcing, and you have triplets?" Tom asked.
"Yeah. Last hurrah before I left. Lots of alcohol. And before you ask, they're mine." Mike told Tom, because he was aware of Christine's past.
"Okay, if you're sure. Names?" Tom asked.
"Georgeanna, Savannah and Carson." Mike answered.
"Old-fashioned names for the girls." Tom commented.
"My mom's name was Georgeanna and Christine was from Savannah, Georgia. It makes perfect sense." Mike explained.
"I see." Tom answered.
"If you run by early; I can give you my card so you can buy stuff." Mike told him.
"Nah. We will figure that out later. I'm not as much of an early-bird as you. I'll keep receipts." Tom remarked.
"Christine needs stuff too." Mike commented.
"Yeah, I'll enlist Sasha, Ashley and maybe Kara. No sweat. You just send me those sizes and any interests." Tom answered.
"Right now, food, warmth and clothes are their interests." Mike said.
"We'll use our imaginations then." Tom said before hanging up.
Christine had walked into the kitchen and smiled at the soup in the pot. She was wearing one of Mike's shirts and sweatpants. Mike grabbed a notebook and pen and gestured at the kitchen island.
"Can you write down sizes and any interests for yourself and the kids? Tom and some friends are going to go shopping if that's okay?" Mike asked.
"Yeah, its fine." Christine said as she began writing things down.
"I have an appointment for Hannah tomorrow. I'll get appointments for you and the other kids while I'm there. It just seemed more important to get her in immediately." Mike told Christine as he stirred the soup.
"Yeah. Good idea. She is miserable. I knew she was in trouble and so when the police showed up at the encampment, I asked for help. I couldn't lose her too." Christine remarked.
"How did you all end up here? I looked everywhere." Mike asked.
"I lost our IDs and I was scared of what you would think about the triplets. I stayed away, and I shouldn't have. Didn't have a way to earn money, so we were homeless. Then Hannah's teeth start bothering her. I didn't know how to find you. I suppose I should have walked into a recruiting office, but had no idea how to identify myself. I'm sorry, Mike." Christine said quietly. Mike turned the soup down and wrapped his arms around her.
"Hey, its over now. You will have a warm house, plenty of food, medicine and the kids will be alright. All of them. Triplets too. Now, write down things you need and want." Mike said as he pointed at the notebook. Christine had things listed for all of the kids, but nothing for herself.
"I would really like something that I shouldn't write on a list, something I've wanted for the past six years." Christine said.
"Name it." Mike said.
"I would really love to sleep in that big bed with you. We might end up with a kid with us, but I've missed you holding me." Christine said and Mike kissed the top of her head.
"You 's an easy one. Same thing I've wanted." Mike told her.
"I kind of hope Hannah can wait on getting the teeth pulled until after Thanksgiving. I would love to have a dinner and she mentioned wanting a sweet potato pie." Christine remarked.
"I figure they'll want her on antibiotics, but it'll get the ball rolling at least." Mike answered.
"Yeah. They are figuring out bedrooms. Savannah and Georgeanna want the room with the two beds in it. Kaitlyn and Hannah like the rooms with the bathroom between them. And Carson is just thrilled to have a space away from his sisters." Christine told him with a laugh.
"Sounds good. We can redo them however they'd like too. Alright, can you taste this? I don't think I put enough salt in it." Mike said as he offered Christine a spoonful of soup. She took it and tasted it, then stood up and walked to the stove and began adding seasoning.
"Okay, perfect. I can't wait to cook in this kitchen. Christmas breakfast this year is going to be so great." Christine said.
"Its all going to be great. I do have one thing to ask; the little girls; I can't tell them apart. Can you help me?" Mike asked.
"Savannah has a dimple on her left cheek. Georgeanna has a scar next to her right eye. She ran into a metal trashcan when she was about two. I'm also putting on here that Savannah likes pink and Georgie likes purple, so that might help too." Christine explained as she pointed at the notebook.
"Good." Mike said. He was setting the table as the kids poured down the stairs.
"It smells yummy in here." Carson said as he eyed the table.
"Your daddy made a soup." Christine told him as she carried the pot to the table and sit it in the middle.
"And your mom finished it so it actually tasted decent." Mike said. He began dishing the soup up and Christine fixed cups of milk up. The kids settled into the chairs and waited on Mike and Christine to sit down.
"Remember, Mommy; are you going to say the blessing tonight since we have food?" Savannah asked.
"Of course." Christine said before reaching over and taking Mike and Georgeanna's hands in her own. Mike took Kaitlyn's in his other hand and Christine began praying. It surprised him, because she had not been at all religious, but the kids had expected it. His family returning was a miracle, but he had a lot to figure out. Helping his family recover was at the top of the list.