A/N: Okay, this is going to be my favorite chapter yet! I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing this!
Disclaimer: I don't own Gravi.
DIVIDERDIVIDERDIVIDER
Over the next few months, the family became tighter and tighter. They had more laughs than before. Serika would come home from school and work in Yuki's study on homework while the author typed away.
Shuichi was giving Serika voice lessons and took her to the studio more than he did before.
It came time for Thanksgiving. The Shindou-Uesugi household decided to have family get together. The day came around. Everyone was busy cleaning, cooking, and getting ready. Serika looked in the mirror and fixed her make-up. Serika walked out of her bedroom and heard the door-bell ring.
"Serika! Can you get that?" Yuki called form the kitchen.
"Sure thing dad." she said. She ran over to the door and opened it to see Tohma, Tatshua, Mika and Ryuichi.
"Hi you guys! Come on in!" Serika said. They all stepped inside taking off their shoes.
"Every time I see you get bigger and bigger." Tats said hugging his niece.
"Hi Tats." she said hugging back.
"My, my how you've grown." Mika said hugging Serika.
"I haven't seen you in forever!" Serika said hugging Mika back.
Serika looked over and saw Tohma. She let go of Mika and walked over to Tohma, "Hey Tohma." she said hugging him.
Tohma pulled her back to get a better look at Serika, "God. I remember when you were only 9 years old. Just look at you now." Tohma said smiling.
"Uggh….I was so ugly when I was 9!" Serika said shivering.
"Serika! Good to see you NaNoDa!"
"Ryu! Oh my gosh I haven't seen you in forever!" She said hugging the hyper singer.
"Don't forget Kumagoru!" he said.
"How could I?" Serika said hugging the stuffed rabbit.
Everyone started to talk. Serika and Mika were taking about clothes and that they have to go shopping again.
The door-bell rang again. Serika walked over to the door and opened it, "Hi Hiro!" she yelled latching on to him.
Hiro picked her up and swung her around setting her on the ground again, "How have you been Rika?" he asked smiling.
"Great! How have you been? Heard you guys sold a lot of copies of your new album." Serika said elbowing Hiro playfully.
"You bet we did." Hiro said.
Serika closed the door behind Hiro. Shuichi hugged his best friend happily. Everyone once again started talking. Tats, Hiro, and Shuichi were on the couch watching football. Yuki and the others were in the kitchen talking.
Serika eyes the turkey. Her dad had started to pour a marinade over it. She hadn't eaten anything all day and was starving.
"It still needs to cook Serika. I know you're hungry, but damn." Tats said walking up from behind Serika.
"Shut up! I didn't eat anything all frickin' day!" she yelled. "Dad! How long is it gonna be?" Serika whined.
"At least two more hours." Yuki answered.
"What?! I'm gonna die of starvation!" Serika said.
"Than eat something Serika. I don't wanna hear it." Yuki said aggravated.
Serika mumbled something under her breath and left the spot at the kitchen counter.
The door-bell rang again and Serika answered it. Standing in the doorway was Mr. K, Sakano, Fujisaki were all standing at the door.
They stepped in and greeted each other. The group all sat and mingled. Soon the turkey was done and ready.
Serika rushed to the table and took a seat in-between Tats and Hiro. Seika watched as Yuki set the turkey on the table. She licked her lips and was about to pull a piece of dark meat of when she felt a hard slap on her hand.
Serika pulled her hand back and looked at her blonde father, "Ow! What the hell was that for?!" she yelled.
"Wait until we say grace and sit down." he said.
"Bastard." Serika muttered.
Everyone took their places at the table. "Who's gonna say grace?" Shuichi asked looking around the table/
"How about Serika." Yuki said grinning evilly at his daughter.
"No! You remember what happened last year! I said um like 10 times, uh like 12 times, and like like 30 times!" she whined.
"Well, then I guess we don't eat." the author said tauntingly.
Serika narrowed her eyes at her father, "I hate you." she said.
Everyone grabbed hands and bowed their heads. "Dear God we thanks you for this wonderful food. We….uh….are thankful…..we….uh…are a happy…..uh…well, for family….a happy family and that we umm…have wonderful friends who care for us dearly. Uh….amen." Serika said.
"Amen." everyone else said.
People started to pass for around the table. Serika dove into the turkey. She put a bunch on her plate.
"Fatty." Tats said smirking.
"Shut up before I fork your eyes out." Serika growled.
"So, Serika how's school?" Tohma asked form across the table.
"It's going great! I'm passing all my classes and getting almost all straight A's!" Serika answered.
"That's good." Tohma said.
"You got a boyfriend?" Hiro said nudging Serika's sighed.
Serika blushed, "Maybe." she said.
"She does. They are very close." Yuki said looking at his daughter with serious eyes.
"Lemme guess, my bro walked in on you and your boyfriend making out. Am I right?" Tats said smirking.
"No! That's not it." Serika said quietly.
"I think it's cute. They always hug when they see each other. They goof off with one another. They even did the whole Lady and the Tramp thing with the noodle." Shuichi said with big sparkly eyes.
"Aww! How sweet!" Everyone said.
"Shut up!" Serika yelled taking a bite of turkey.
The phone began to ring. Serika got up and picked up the cordless. "Hello?"
"Hey honey. Happy Thanksgiving." Tashio said from the other line.
"Same to you." Serika said blushing.
"Is your family there?" Tashio asked.
"Yeah. We were actually just eating." Serika answered. She looked back at the table to see Tats turn around and wrap his arms around himself to make it look like he was making out with someone. Serika threw a napkin at him. Everyone started to laugh.
"Sounds like you're having fun. I'll let you go. I miss you." Tashio said.
"I miss you too." Serika said.
"Aww!" Hiro, Shuichi and Tats said in unison.
Serika heard Tashio laugh, "It's not funny!" she yelled.
"Well, I best be going. Love you." Tashio said.
"Love you too." Serika said blushing even more than before. She hung up the phone and sat back down.
"Aww! Me and Kuma think that's so sweet!" Ryu chimed in.
"Yeah, yeah." Serika muttered.
After everyone was done eating, Serika stayed behind to clean the table. Tats helped her so she would get done faster.
After the two were done, they went out to the living room to join the others. They all sat and talked and shared stories.
Serika looked around the room. Everyone seemed so happy. Laughing, talking. She would have never had this with her old parents.
Serika got up and walked to her room. She opened her closet and grabbed the game Gestures. She walked back out into the living room.
"Are we ready to play?" Serika asked holding up the box.
It was a tradition to play Gestures during any holiday parties. Everyone picked teams. One team was made up of: Shuichi, Fujisaki, Tats, Mr. K, and Tohma. The other team was made up of: Yuki, Hiro, Ryu, Sakano, Mika, and Serika.
"Okay, since you guys have one more teammate, we go first." Shuichi said.
Shuichi set up the automated timer and slipped the cards in. Before he set it up he turned to his team, "Who's going first?" he asked.
"I am!" Tats yelled jumping up.
He started the timer and read the first card. He began to act out flying a kite.
"Flying a kite!" K shouted.
Tats read the next card and began to act out wave. He waved his hand back and forth.
"Hello!" Shuichi blurted out.
Serika laughed.
Tats rolled his eyes and began to act surfboarding.
"Wave!" Fujisaki said.
Tats read the next card and smirked towards Serika. He did the same thing he did at the table while Serika was talking to Tashio.
"Kissing." Tohma said smiling.
Tats stopped the timer. Their team had gotten all of the cards right. Yuki's team was up next. They decided that Serika was up because she was the youngest.
Serika set up the timer and put the cards in. She started the timer and read the first card. She began to play the guitar.
"Guitar!" Hiro yelled.
Serika read the next card. She laughed and put a hand over her heart. She fell to the ground.
"Heart attack." Yuki said casually.
Serika sprang back up and read the next card. She looked puzzled for a moment but then got an idea. She acted like she held a wine glass and poured something into the glass.
"Wine." Mika said.
Serika moved her hands in circles as to say you're so close.
"Wine glass." Sakano said.
Serika motioned her hands even faster.
"Champaign!" Ryu yelled happily.
Serika smiled and read the next card. Serika made her pointer finger and middle finger into a V shape. She pulled back an invisible rope and closed her one eye as if she was aiming for something.
"Slight-shot." Sakano said.
Serika looked at the next card. She started to do hopscotch. Yuki called out hopscotch and Serika stopped the timer.
The game was now timed and the heat was on. Serika always laughed at how seriously this game was taken.