Sorry for the delay. I am still thinking about the ending of this story. First, I don't want it to end so soon. Second, the ending I planned is not the one most people want. Third, I am trying so hard to come up with ideas for another fic that I am not keeping up with this one… So, tell me what you think…

Ch. 17

"I'm ready. Let's get started!" The apron was clearly too big for his little girl.

Looking at Asha tip-toeing into the kitchen with her eyes filled with wonder, Burke realized how fast his daughter was growing up, every second, every minute. The years were slipping away. Soon she would be too old to jump onto her daddy's lap.

"Cherish every moment with your family before it's too late." The words of the stranger suddenly came to mind.

"Daddy, are you gonna teach me how to make a turkey?"

"Sweetheart, that's not an easy task." Switching his gaze between his daughter and the turkey, which was almost twice the size of her head, Burke smiled. Cristina never had a passion to cook. Must have amazed her, he felt, to have raised a child who would rather be in the kitchen than play with anatomical dolls.

"But may I try?" Burke sat her up on the tall wooden stool, so she could see clearly what he was doing.

After he was half way done with the turkey, he was surprised Asha's eyes were still following closely. She had been so quiet yet vigilant. Trying not to kill her enthusiasm, he thought about what she could do. Then his eyes twinkled.

"Why don't you help me with this? Your granny loves chocolate cake." Talking about his mother brought a grin to his face.

Burke did not grow up surrounded by material comfort, but Rose was always there for him. He had always been fond of his mother. He almost worshipped her, for her kindness, her generosity, her determination. All the virtues she taught him she did so through her action. Burke remembered how their restaurant used to have a special Thursday evening every week to welcome the homeless to eat with dignity for free.

There was always a reason to be grateful on Thanksgiving Day. He was as excited as a child on his first pony ride when he knew he could spend this Thanksgiving with the 3 most important ladies in his life.

"So I'll have to stir really really hard?" Asha remembered watching her dad make pound cakes for Christmas.

"Yes, but not too hard OK?" Burke patted his daughter's head with the back of his hand as his palms were too greasy. "What you need is to blend in everything and make it smooth."

"Alright." Asha began her task with confidence written all over her movement. Cristina's daughter. Nobody would be wrong about that.

"After that we'll prepare the salad." Rubbing the grease off his hand under the running water, Burke walked towards the other corner of the kitchen to get the potatoes.

"Daddy." The vibration and the beeping sound startled Asha. "Come'ere."

Burke was equally surprised when he saw Cristina's pager amidst the brown grocery bags. A doctor's pager was like a police's gun. They have the right to turn it off, but Cristina would never do that, much less leaving it at home.

"It's OK, sweetheart. Looks like your Mommy forgot to bring her pager today." Burke signaled his little girl to spoon the batter into the cake pan while he started calling his wife. He knew the hospital would get a hold of her eventually if it was something really urgent, but he felt obliged to call first.

Before he was able to reach her, the hospital called.

"Dr. Burke, sorry to bother you. Dr. Yang's not answering her pager and her cell-phone is directed to her voice-mail—"

Cristina must have forgotten to recharge the battery of her phone again. Burke shook his head.

Although the intern did not sound too desperate, the Chief of Surgery wanted to make sure everything was alright. "What're you calling her for?"

"There's a patient at the ambulance bay. He seems to have been robbed but we found Dr. Yang's name card in his pocket. We thought maybe she could help."

"So you aren't calling her for an operation?" Cristina wouldn't want to be back to Seattle Grace unless she could cut someone open.

"No. But it's of utmost importance, Sir. A man's life is at stake!" The intern's screeching voice made him gasp. Burke began to wonder if he was talking to a wannabe actress or a surgical intern.

After pondering on it for moment, Burke said calmly, "I'll ask her to contact you as soon as possible."

He hoped his mother would pick up the phone.