Disclaimer: All stories are individuals of themselves and are unrelated to each other.
A/N: Happy Thanksgiving! I hadn't planned to write anything but then I got this little idea because sometimes my family is like I wrote Madge's and mostly I just needed to get it down. Also I was recently asked about how I see Gale as Hispanic but never write him/his family as so, I took a stab at it. If you're Hispanic and see/disagree with how Gale's portrayed, let me know I did some research but I'm painfully white so you never know. I love you all!
Since last year they had Thanksgiving dinner with Gale's family, he only thought it right that this year be with Madge's. She protests, again and again, but Gale insists, and finally she relents – though she's not happy about it.
When they pull up to Madge's house she hesitates before unbuckling. "Gale," she reaches over and grabs his hand before he can climb out of the car. He looks at her with confused eyes and she lets out a short breath. "My family, they're very conservative." He lifts an eyebrow in her direction. "Dinner gets political. Every year. Just… just know they're going to say things that we don't agree with."
"Hey," he turns their hands so his are encasing hers. "I'm sure it'll be fine." But her expression is still nervous. He lifts her hands and kisses her knuckles. "I know what you believe in, Madge," he tells her.
They've been dating almost three years. The second he sees a story on the news Gale knows what stance Madge will take. He agrees with her most of the time, and when they disagree they have discussions to help each other understand. And besides, he needs to talk to her parents anyway. There's an important question he has to ask her father.
They exit the car and start for her home. Gale grabs Madge's hand, it's incredible that she's more nervous to be around her family than he is. She squeezes his hand tightly before pushing open the door.
"Mom? Dad?" Madge calls. Gale shuts the door behind them. "We're here!" Their hands untwine from one another and they shake off their coats, hanging them on the rack. "Mom?" she yells.
"Oh, Madge!" Her mother is suddenly hurrying down the stairs, a bright smile on her face. "Sweetheart! I'm so happy you could make it!" She pulls Madge into a tight hug and then looks up. "It's so good to see you again, Gale."
"Mrs. Undersee," he returns. She hugs him just as tightly. Gale doesn't understand what Madge meant by saying her family is conservative. He's met her parents many times (three years together, remember?) and they've never been awful. "I brought you a bottle of wine," he tells her. "It's in the car."
"You are too kind," Mrs. Undersee smiles. She pulls them into the house, completely forgetting about Gale's wine because the Undersee family has an entire wine closet, and begins gushing about how everyone else has already arrived and they have a lot of introductions. Madge shoots Gale a look and he offers her a soft smile. "I have to check the status of the meal," Mrs. Undersee tells them. "Love you!"
Mrs. Undersee disappears and Madge is left with the job of introducing Gale to everyone. He meets Aunt May and Uncle Haymitch. May who's thrilled to finally meet Madge's boyfriend, and Haymitch who shoots in a look that tells him to be careful. Grammy, Gramps, Grandmother, and Grandfather. They look at Gale with eyebrows arched on their pale skin and Madge pulls him closer. Gale meets her few cousins, Annabelle and Tyler and Gregory, all very polite blonde haired children that smile and nod in his direction.
Everyone is very formal, save for Aunt May who's loud and excited. Definitely different than Gale's family who bombarded Madge with hugs the second they met her. He supposes his family has different values than the Undersee's, but that's how it is in his culture. Family is incredibly important, which includes extended family and friends of family and basically anyone they associate with.
"Excuse me," Mr. Undersee appears suddenly by the door. Madge turns, and his eyes find her and he smiles. He must've been helping in the kitchen, Gale thinks. "Dinner's ready."
They don't pray before the meal, but Gale says a quick prayer anyway. They always pray before they eat at the Hawthorne's, especially on Thanksgiving. Apparently his family was reluctant to celebrate considering Gale's grandfather was an immigrant and Thanksgiving isn't a Mexican holiday, but Hazelle had grown up in the states and her family insisted.
They all take their own servings and everything is very quiet. Soft spoken voices and the sound of forks and knives scraping against plates is all that there's really to be heard. The turkey is dry, the stuffing is bland, but thankfully Gale's been raised to show is gratitude regardless. Again he thinks of his own family, the rich taste of absolutely everything due to spices, the loudness that fills the room every single second, people practically elbowing each other out of the way to get another helping. Madge looks over at Gale, a certain sadness in her eyes, but he smiles to dispel her fears.
"So," Aunt May leans across the table and looks toward Gale. "I'm so glad that you could come."
"It's great to be here," he says back. Almost everyone looks in their direction. "I've wanted to meet Madge's family for a while."
"I remember Margaret had told us she was seeing someone," Grandmother calls from down the table.
"Yes," Grandfather nods. "How're you liking the food?"
"Oh, it's great, thank you," Gale responds. "My family usually uses a lot more gravy, I guess, but it's still great."
Grandfather raises a silver eyebrow, "You celebrate Thanksgiving?"
Madge tenses beside Gale, her eyes closing as though she's in physical pain. "Grandfather," she starts softly. "Please."
"I just didn't know his people would."
"My… people?" Gale echoes. He tilts his head in Madge's direction and she opens her mouth to say something, but Gale shakes his head. "Well, my father's family emigrated from Mexico when he was just a boy, but I've lived here my whole life."
"I meant no disrespect, boy," Grandfather starts again.
"My mother's lived in America her whole life as well," Gale continues, suddenly understanding why Madge was reluctant to bring him here. "Her family emigrated from Puerto Rico and adopted many American practices to blend in." His tone becomes a bit harsher without intending it to, "We don't necessarily celebrate Thanksgiving as when the pilgrims first arrived, considering they did extensive damage to the native population, but as a reason to be with family and count our blessings."
The silence that follows is incredibly heavy. Haymitch shifts beside May and tips his head in Gale's direction. "My family came from Peru when I was a boy," he tells him. "We were reluctant to celebrate Thanksgiving, too." Gale's chest no longer feels tight, though he wasn't sure when that feeling began. "You speak Spanish?"
"Fluently," Gale nods.
"Lo siento por ellos," Haymitch says. "Son pendejos." He hesitates, looking at May and Madge before adding, "La mayoría de ellos."
"Si," Gale smiles. "Gracias."
Madge reaches over and squeezes Gale's knee. He dips his head in her direction and covers her hand with his. Dinner continues as though it hadn't happened.
By the end of the meal Gale completely understands why Madge doesn't want to be here. Her family, mostly her grandparents from both sides, are incredibly conservative like Madge said. They believe mental health issues aren't real, despite the fact that Madge's mother had suffered severe depression for a majority of her life, and Madge went through it as a teenager. They're sexist, too, saying Madge really shouldn't be in law school because that isn't her place.
"Madge is going to be a great lawyer," Gale had argued. "I don't think I've ever won an argument against her." Madge kept her mouth shut the majority of the meal but would often smile at Gale when he spoke. When dinner was over and the butlers came out to retrieve the plates and the family moved to the sitting room, Gale pulled Madge aside. "Why don't you say anything?" he asked. It was what hurt him the most, that she let them talk like this without contributing.
"I've tried," Madge told him, shaking her head. She couldn't look at him. "They don't listen to me. In the end it just gives me anxiety." He'd tipped her head up then and kissed her sweetly. "I'm so sorry," she whispered, her hands holding tight to his shirt. "I should've—" Gale kissed her again, silencing her apology.
"It wasn't the worst thing I've heard in my life," he told her. Growing up Gale had been a victim of many taunts for the color of his skin. He expects to be the victim of things like this for the rest of his life. "And regardless, I still love you." She'd smiled and nodded, and then he added, "We can still catch dessert with my family if we leave soon, if you want."
"More than anything," she'd exhaled.
Now he's asked Madge to get the wine from his car, and Gale's slipped into the kitchen to find her father. The workers there tell Gale Mr. Undersee must be in his office because he hasn't been in the kitchen all day it isn't his job to cook. So Gales searches the house quickly until he finds the office described to him, and knocks lightly on the door.
"Gale," Mr. Undersee brightens when he peaks his head in. "Come in, come in." Gale steps inside and pulls the door shut behind him. The man behind the desk sighs and stands, extending his hand in Gale's direction. "I'm sorry I didn't get to say hello earlier. The company's been keeping me away from my family, unfortunately."
"It's alright," Gale shakes his head. His own father would've made sure to get away, but Mr. Undersee has been in charge of a large company for quite a while now. He understands Mr. Undersee's job, just doesn't agree with it. "Honestly."
"And my father," he frowns, sinking back into his seat. "I can't begin to express my apologies for what was said this afternoon."
"Please," Gale shakes his head again. "That wasn't your fault."
"I should be able to speak up against my own father," the man sighs. "I'm sorry."
"Honestly," Gale says. "That isn't why I'm here." Mr. Undersee scrubs at his face and then drops his hand to look at Gale. "I… would like permission to ask Madge to marry me." A smile fills Mr. Undersee's face, and even though he's nodding Gale can't stop talking. "I love her. And I believe in her. We've both made our mistakes but I'm in love with her and I want to marry her and—"
"Gale," her father cuts him off gently. "Yes. Of course you have permission."
And with his words, Gale's chest feels less tight for the second time this Thanksgiving.
"Hey," Madge sighs in relief when she finds him. "I've been looking for you everywhere."
"Got lost looking for the bathroom," he lies. But when he sees her his heart speeds up. Gale grabs the wine from her. "Should we drop this off in the kitchen and get out of here?" he asks. Madge nods and he dips down, kissing her quickly before pulling her toward the kitchen.
Madge thanks all the cooks and chefs that prepared the meal and Gale suggests they learn to use some spices, and then they say goodbye to everyone. Aunt May hugs her the tightest and whispers, "Stand your ground. He's a good one." She kisses Madge on the cheek and adds, "Good looking, too."
Haymitch shakes Gale's hand tightly, and Gale kisses Aunt May on the cheek. "It was great to meet you," Gale says.
"You as well," May cheers.
They hug Madge's mother and say their goodbyes to her father, and then they're in the car. Once they're out of the driveway and on the road Madge sinks backwards in her seat, sighing loudly. "Thanksgiving at yours next year?" she asks.
Gale grins. Thanksgiving at ours, he thinks. If she says yes then maybe they can have their own. "Sure," he laughs.
She reaches over and rests her hand on his knee. "I love you," Madge tells him. "I'm so incredibly thankful to have you in my life."
"Mm," he smiles, once again covering her hand with his for maybe the tenth time today. "You have no idea."