Sorry for the delay, I had some news hitting close to home. I came home from work one day, wasn't feeling well, to a test and I got covid. Now don't worry, I'm vaccinated and boosted so I didn't get hit with the nasty systems. All I got was a congested nose and a cough. So I've been self-quarantining for a week now and I wasn't in the mood to write at the moment and just wanted to relax and not over-stress like I do most of the time. But now a week has passed and I'm feeling much better. Luckily no one at my workplace was affected and I only had 5 days off from work, though I have a feeling it's gonna bite me in the ass soon, and I just need to wear a mask until after a certain time. Thank you for your patients.
Chapter 10
Well, November is here, and it was Thanksgiving time. Already the family was getting ready for Thanksgiving dinner. Parents were cooking and the kids were watching TV. This year since Sarah's family couldn't make it this year, except for Aunt Dorothy, they invited Ziva and Abby to come by since they're technically family. Ziva and Abby made it to the house just in time for Aunt Dorothy to pop up. "Hello. You must be Dorothy. Mary has told me much about you." Said Ziva.
Dorothy being polite said, "And you must be Ziva and Abby. Heard much about you 2. Where's your husband?"
Abby replied, "Daddy's with his other family."
Dorothy looked at Ziva. "It was a mutual divorce. Turns out he is gay and finally came out of the closet when Abby was 2 years old. We just share custody and every three years Abby goes to her dad's and we do share holidays, depending on the year."
Abby said, "Mom said he was worried what the Rabbi would've done if they found out, but luckily he's an understanding man."
Dorothy asked, "So you're Jewish?"
Ziva said, "My name's kind of obvious but we're actually part of the Hebrew-Christian religion but we do have family members that are either Jewish or Catholic since the pogroms." Dorothy nodded in understanding. "That doesn't make you uncomfortable does it?"
Dorothy shook her head as the three walked up to the house. "It doesn't. In fact, and don't tell Sarah this, but we have Viking blood in my family." Ziva was shocked as well as Abby. "That's right. Just don't ask me what tribe we are from though rumors are that we came from St. Olaf."
Ziva nodded in understatement. "Now that I can see." The 2 adults laughed as they walked up to the door. Ziva ranged the bell and the door opened.
The door opened and it was Sarah. Sarah saw Ziva and smiled. "Hey, Ziva. Happy Thanksgiving."
Ziva walked inside. "Happy Thanksgiving." She took her coat off and helped Abby take her off. "Hope you don't mind but we ran into someone." She moved inside and Aunt Dorothy came in.
Already Sarah had a fake smile on her face. "Hello, Aunt Dorothy. What a pleasant surprise."
Aunt Dorothy said, "Well your sister and her family went to Nashville to see his side of the family and I don't have good standing with that side anyway. I swear I found a white robe in that closet with eye wholes."
Sarah said, "I already told you it was his ghost costume from Halloween. He likes to recycle."
Aunt Dorothy walked in and hung up her coat. "Tell that to the 50 others with the same costume that come by every 3 weeks." Ziva went wide-eyed and looked at Aunt Dorothy. "Trust me the less you know, the better. Just be happy that none of them are allowed to leave the state thanks to the supreme court unless they want 50 to 60 years in prison. Her brother-in-law is the only good one in the family despite living on a pig farm."
Ziva said, "Thanks for inviting me and Abby to Thanksgiving. We couldn't get a flight to California in time to see my side of the family."
Sarah said, "No problem. We do have strong Wi-Fi if you still want to call them."
Ziva said, "Sounds great." She took off her daughter's coat. "Abby, how about you look for Mary and she'll help you set up on your iPad tablet?"
Abby said, "Ok mom." She ran off.
"Remember they're 3 behind us!" she called out to her.
"Right!" Abby called. She ran to Mary's room and found her on the bed with her grandfather reading the book again. "Hey Mary, hey Mr. Engel."
Mary jumped off the bed and hugged. "Hi, Abby. Glad you're here for Thanksgiving."
"Me too," Abby replied. "Mind helping me set up the tablet? I want to call my relatives."
Mary said, "Sure."
Grandpa got off the bed. "That's my cue to vamoose. I'll be downstairs, hoping to God that your mother doesn't burn the turkey. I don't think Denny's is open on Thanksgiving." He asked, "You don't mind turkey do you?"
Abby said, "I don't mind. It's ham and pork we can't eat."
Grandpa went to the door. "Then I'll leave you, girls, to it. I'll come up when it's time to eat." He left the room and closed the door.
Mary helped Abby set up the tablet and Abby made the call to her grandmother. It ranged until a picture popped it showing an old woman. "Shalom Grandma Golda." She waved at her grandmother.
Her grandmother waved back. "Shalom sweetheart. How's everything there?"
Abby replied, "Everything is great so far. Sorry that we can't be there Grandma Golda."
She replied back, "It's not your fault and it's ok. The planes have been weird lately so it's best if you stay there." Then she asked, "Is that your friend Mary?"
Mary walked up. "Yep," said Abby. "Abby, this is my grandmother, Golda."
Mary waved at the screen. "Hello, Golda."
Golda smiled back. "Hello, Mary. My granddaughter has told me all about her best friend and ballet partner. How are things going at the company anyway?"
Mary replied, "Great, few more weeks and we make our Nutcracker debut."
Abby asked, "Will you try and be there? I know the Nutcracker is Russian so-"
Her grandmother held up a hand to stop her and said, "I'll try my best to be there. If I can't be there in time, your mother will record your performance. In fact, doesn't your company do TV broadcasts too cause I'm recording that one as well?"
Abby and Mary thought about it for a moment. "We're not sure." They replied.
Mary asked, "Did Ziva say it'll be on TV?"
Golda replied, "She says it does, but I don't know if it'll be your troop or the same cast from last year. Guess we'll wait and see. Anyway, I already got my ticket, so there's no way I'm missing this performance."
Abby smiled. "Cool. I don't know if Mary's family will be there, but her grandfather and grandmother will."
Mary said, "It's true. I already got 7 tickets already for my family plus Aunt Dorothy, but I don't know if they'll come." Mary was a little down on the moment.
Golda said, "Then it'll be a real shame to miss your performance, a real shame." Then she huffed. "I swear they're-"
This time Abby stopped. "Grandma remember what the good book says."
Golda giggled as they both said, "If you spit in the air, it'll land on your face."
Then Golda heard a ding. "Oh, that's my sisters. I gotta go Abby. I'll call you in a few hours ok?"
Abby said, "Sure thing grandma. Say 'hi' to the family for me and mom please."
Golda said, "Of course. Take care." Then she turned off her screen breaking the connection.
Abby asked, "So what do you wanna do? Mom said no ballet practice."
Mary said, "Same here." Then she got an idea. "I got a few Charlie Brown movies we can watch. We can have a mini-marathon here.
Abby smiled. "Cool." Abby put her tablet away and set up the TV as Mary for the DVDs out. "Can we watch A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving first and then the Super Bowl next?"
Mary said, "Sure and after that, we can put on A Boy Named Charlie Brown. By the time we're done Thanksgiving dinner will be ready."
"Ok." Said Abby.
