Opening Montage
Music: "Who Says You Can't Go Home" by Bon Jovi, featuring Jennifer Nettles
First shot is Quinn seated on a train. Jim takes the seat next to her and they start talking. Cut to a shot of Quinn and Jim's wedding five years later. Then cut to a hospital room a few years later and we see an exhausted Quinn and smiling Jim holding newborn triplets. Cut to present day and we see the now nine-year-old triplets. Teddy is reading a book while Tommy and Timmy fight over the video game controller. Cut to Teddy rolling his eyes disdainfully at his immature brothers. Next, cut to a shot of Jim working on a car while a tripod mounted camera records the whole thing. Next shot is Quinn making a S'mores 'n' Pores video in the kitchen. Next shot is Jim chatting with Jamie, Chuck and Kevin over beer while Brittany and Daryl make out in the background. Next shot is Jamie teaching a history class at Lawndale High. He notices that the current quarterback is making out with his cheerleader girlfriend in class, causing Jamie to have a DeMartino-style meltdown. Next, we see Teddy hanging out on the playground with a girl his age who is visibly of mixed European/East Asian heritage. They watch the 'normal' kids play with visibly disdain, implying that this girl is the Jane to Teddy's Daria. Next, we see Quinn, Jim and the triplets stand on the front lawn and smile at the audience. The following caption appears under them...
Lawndale
S. 3, Ep. 5
"Crappy Thanksgiving"
written by
WildDogJJ
Act I
Casa carbone, day...
Jim, Chuck (formerly Upchuck) and Chris (Jim's brother) were in Jim's man cave. The reason they weren't outside hanging out with Kevin on his porch is because the weather's bad, with dark gray skies and heavy rain. They were talking about their plans for Thanksgiving.
"So," said Chris as he cracked open a beer, "what are you guys doing for Thanksgiving this year?"
Jim said, "This year we're flying down to Miami to spend Thanksgiving with Quinn's aunt, Amy. After retiring, she bought a house in Miami and invited us and Daria to come down for Thanksgiving. Daria's meeting us at the airport tomorrow."
Added Chuck, "My family's flying to Miami this year too. In fact, Jim and I are on the same flight."
Chris looked at his watch. "Well, I'd better pack for the trip. Jim, see you guys tomorrow when we go to the airport."
Jim frowned. Now for the hard part. Out loud, he explained, "Chris, you aren't going. When I said 'we', I meant myself, Quinn, the boys and Daria."
Chris felt totally dejected. "But Chuck and his family are going with you."
Chuck said, "because we're on the same flight. I'm not visiting Amy Barksdale. Stacy, the kids and I are spending Thanksgiving with Stacy's parents at their condo in South Beach."
Chris frowned. "So, Jim, you're not bringing me, your own brother, along."
Jim tried to explain. "Chris, that's not my decision. Aunt Amy didn't invite you because...well...reasons." Jim didn't dare tell his brother that those reasons include a very real concern that Chris would just bring everyone else down by constantly wallowing in self-pity like he has every Thanksgiving since his ex-wife took everything from him in the divorce.
"Oh, sure," said Chris in a bitter tone, "Just abandon me like everyone else does."
Chuck said, "I wish my family would abandon me this year, but Stacy's parents are insisting we spend Thanksgiving at their condo this year. I'm dreading the whole time there."
"How come," asked Jim.
Chuck explained. "Let's just say that Stacy and her mom don't have the best relationship. All they ever do is fight, and I'm gonna be spending the whole Thanksgiving holiday being caught in the crossfire." He punctuated that statement with a shudder.
White residence...
Teddy and Rachel were in her room watching TV. On the screen was an image of pilgrims and natives running for their lives from giant, man-eating turkeys.
"They ate turkey at the first Thanksgiving, now...THE TABLES HAVE TURNED! Revenge of the Killer Birds, next on Sick, Sad World!"
As the TV cut to commercial Teddy and Rachel made conversation.
"So," said Teddy, "you're flying out of town for Thanksgiving too?"
Rachel nodded. "We're spending it with my mom's parents in LA."
"What time's your flight leave," asked Teddy.
"Tomorrow afternoon at four," Rachel answered.
"That's when our flight heads out too," said Teddy.
Rachel smiled. "Cool! Maybe before boarding we can provide color commentary about how stupid the holidays are."
"We do that all the time," Teddy pointed out.
"But never at the airport," said Rachel.
Suddenly, something on TV caught the attention of both kids.
"We interrupt the broadcast for a special weather bulletin. A rainstorm off the Atlantic is colliding with a major cold front from the northwest. This weather is expected to stall over the Philadelphia metro area for the next several days. While no snow is expected, there will be freezing rain over southeastern Pennsylvania, southern New Jersey and northern Delaware beginning tomorrow and lingering through the whole weekend."
"Why do I get a feeling all of our Thanksgiving plans are about to get wrecked," said Teddy.
Replied Rachel, "Your cynicism must be rubbing off, because I have that feeling too."
Ruttheimer house, the next morning...
The sky's dark gray and it's windy. Chuck was in the driveway loading up the car while Chucky and Q watch.
"Dad," Q complained, "why are we leaving now? The plane doesn't take off until four in the afternoon."
"Because," said Chuck, "it's the day before Thanksgiving. With all the traffic in Philadelphia it's gonna take at least two hours to get to the airport." He briefly paused before going on. "Granted, your mother wouldn't mind if we missed our flight, but I paid $500.00 each for those airline tickets. As much as I hate your mother and grandmother always fighting, I REALLY don't wanna be out two grand."
Chucky spoke in his usual, snarky monotone.
"Mom and Grandma hate each other."
That was when Stacy approached them. She'd overheard what her son said.
"Chucky," said Stacy, "we don't hate each other. My relationship with Grandma is...well...it's complicated. I mean," her voice suddenly became angry, "DID THAT BITCH HAVE TO SPEND MY WHOLE CHILDHOOD TELLING ME I'M NOTHING BUT A WORTHLESS DISAPPOINTMENT!?"
"Your mother emotionally abused you," Chucky snarked in his usual monotone.
Chuck decided to ease the tension. "Stacy, that reminds me," he said, "your mother called earlier."
Stacy's eyes lit up. "Is she actually looking forward to my homemade fudge brownies?"
Chuck frowned. "About that," he said, "Your mother told me to tell you not to bother this year. She'll just pick up some pre-baked at the local supermarket."
Stacy instantly went from excited to angry as decades of pent-up resentment surfaced. "Oh, sure," she angrily replied, "but if my brother were making brownies then Mom would lick the freaking bowl! AAAAAARRRRRRRRGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!" She punctuated this by punching the car door so hard that it left a small dent.
Chuck and the kids responded with a collective "EEP!"
Philadelphia International Airport, later...
Daria was standing in front of the departure entrance at the central terminal, and she wasn't happy. This was because she was standing outside in heavy, freezing rain.
"Why didn't I just get my own ticket and fly out of JFK?"
It was at this point that the Carbones approached. Quinn smiled as she ran up to Daria and hugged her.
"Hey, sis!"
"Hey, Quinn."
The two sisters released each other.
"How was the train ride from Manhattan," asked Quinn.
"It was hell," said Daria, "as expected."
Teddy approached. "Hey, Aunt Daria."
Daria smiled. "Well, my favorite nephew!"
Tommy and Timmy: "HEY!"
"I'm an aunt," said Daria, "Unlike mothers, I'm allowed to play favorites."
Jim reached into his pocket and got out the airline tickets. "Okay," he said, "Don't lose these. I paid $500.00 each for them." As he handed out the tickets he noticed something that made him say "eep!"
Teddy raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean 'eep', Dad?"
"And where's my plane ticket," asked Daria.
Quinn glared menacingly at her husband. "You didn't order a ticket for Daria, Jim!?"
"I...I was sure I did," said a worried Jim. He proceeded to go through his pockets. "It's gotta be around here somewhere!" As he went through his pockets and found no extra ticket he started to panic. "Oh, shit!" He then started going through the suitcases and carry-ons in a desperate bid to find Daria's airline ticket.
While Jim was frantically going through all the luggage Tommy looked at his ticket and noticed he was in an aisle seat. "Hey, no fair!" He then looked over at Timmy and noticed his ticket was a window seat. "Timmy, wanna trade?"
Timmy looked at Tommy's ticket. "Why would I give up my seat, Tommy?"
Tommy glared menacingly at his brother. "Want me to kick your ass, butterball?"
"MOM!"
Quinn turned her attention to her kids. "TOMMY! What did I tell you about bullying your brother!?"
"But, Mom..."
Quinn cut him off. "No buts, Thomas Quentin Carbone!"
"UGH...fine!" Tommy then folded his arms and pouted.
Jim had now gone through all the bags. He reached deep into the last one and felt something that made him breathe a sigh of relief. "Oh, thank God!" He pulled Daria's airline ticket out of the bag and handed it to her.
"You know," said Daria, "I'm hoping this is the only thing that goes wrong, but I know I'm not that lucky."
"Relax, Daria," said Quinn in a reassuring tone, "I don't see what else could go wrong with the tickets."
Meanwhile, at another terminal entrance...
The Thompson's Hummer pulled up to the curb. Inside, Kevin was driving while Brittany rode shotgun. Ultra, who's preparing for the NFL draft, was spending the weekend trying to woo talent scouts. Angie was spending Thanksgiving partying with her college friends in Atlantic City (but told her parents she was gonna be feeding homeless people at the shelter, and they were dumb enough to buy the story). Twins Nikki and Lisa were back home in Lawndale hanging out with friends. As such, the only one of the Thompson kids with Kevin and Brittany was Kevin Jr. They were there to drop Daryl and Brittany off at the airport. Neither Kevin nor Kevin Jr. found that strange at all (while Daryl is Kevin Jr. real father the boy's is not much smarter than Kevin). Supposedly, Brittany was flying to LA to reunite with her estranged mother, Vivian, while Daryl claimed he was going to spend Thanksgiving with his parents in Arizona. Neither Brittany's husband nor son knew that Brittany and Daryl were actually going to Aruba on a romantic getaway.
"Mr. Johnson," Kevin Jr. asked Daryl (whom neither Kevin nor Kevin Jr. realize is Jr.'s real father), "How long are you gonna be in Arizona with your parents?"
"Just through the Thanksgiving holiday," Daryl answered, "Anyway, thanks for giving me a lift to the airport." He then picked up his suitcase and exited the Hummer.
Added Brittany, "and thanks for dropping me off so I can spend Thanksgiving with my real Mom in California!"
"Mom," asked Kevin Jr., "Why didn't Grandma Vivian invite the rest of us?"
Brittany explained. "I'm sorry, guys, but my mother and I haven't seen each other in thirty years. She doesn't know I'm married with kids and I wanna tell her in person."
Both Kevin and Kevin Jr. bought this.
"Cool," said Kevin. Once Brittany and Daryl were gone, Kevin turned to his son. "Okay, Junior, remember the plan?"
Kevin Jr. nodded. "I play games at the airport's arcade while you see what it's like in the Admiral's Club."
Kevin smiled approvingly at his son.
Author's note: For those who don't know, the Admiral's Club is a members-only luxury lounge run by American Airlines for regular customers with enough frequent flyer miles. Every major airline has one.
Central terminal, a short time later...
The Carbones and Daria were at the American Airlines ticket counter. Despite Quinn's assurances, something else had gone wrong. Jim was arguing with the check-in worker, a professionally dressed woman with short red hair.
"What do you mean our tickets aren't valid!?"
"Sir," said the check-in lady in a condescending tone, "our records show those seats as unsold."
"But," said an annoyed Jim, "I bought those tickets on your website six months ago!"
"Not according to our records," said the check-in lady, "The computer says those seats are unsold, hence they are unsold."
Jim rolled his eyes. "You've gotta be kidding me!"
"Airline policy," said the check-in lady in a holier-than-thou tone, "You've no choice but to re-purchase the tickets right now."
Jim let out a frustrated sigh. "Okay, fine."
The check-in lady smirked. "Price is two-thousand dollars per ticket."
Jim's eyes went wide. "TWO GRAND!? The ones I got online were only five hundred each!"
The check-in lady explained. "Sir, you ordered those tickets online six months ago. Day of departure price is two thousand for coach, five thousand for business and ten thousand for first class."
"You've gotta be kidding me," said Jim.
"Supply and demand, sir," said the check-in lady.
Jim was livid. "You aren't a ticket worker, you're a freaking stick-up artist!"
The check-in lady was impassive. "Sir, I don't set the prices, I just work here. Fifteen-hundred dollars, take it or leave it."
"I can't freakin' believe this," Jim growled, "Your computers screw up and you're using it as an excuse to screw me out of twelve-grand!"
"Sir," said the check-in lady, "any formal complaints must be filed with our corporate headquarters in Dallas."
Jim eyed the woman menacingly. "Oh, you bet I'll file a complaint...AND a lawsuit! Think I'm bluffing? Try me, bitch!"
The check-in lady was unimpressed. "Sir, threatening the airline with a frivolous lawsuit will not make the ticket price any lower."
"UGH...FINE!" Jim angrily plunked his credit card down on the counter.
Central terminal food court, an hour later...
The Carbones have just emerged from security. Jim was visibly livid.
"I've never felt so violated in my life," he complained.
Quinn tried to calm her husband down. "Jim, we go through all those invasive searches every time we fly."
Jim said, "I was talking about what happened at the ticket counter."
That was when they all heard a familiar voice call out. "HEY, GUYS! OVER HERE!"
It was Stacy. The Ruttheimers were at the entrance to concourse C. The two families approached.
"Hey, Stacy," said Quinn.
Jim and Chuck shook hands. Chuck was surprised as Jim's handshake felt a lot more forceful than usual.
"Whoa, Jim," said Chuck, "what's with the bone crushing handshake?"
"Don't ask," Jim growled.
Meanwhile, Timmy and Q hugged.
"Timmy," said Q, "I'm so glad you made it!"
"Me too," said Timmy, "where's your seat?"
Q showed Timmy her ticket.
"You've got a window seat too," said Timmy.
Tommy grinned as he got an idea. He remembered that his brother and Q Ruttheimer had recently become boyfriend and girlfriend.
"Hey, Q," said Tommy, "wanna trade seats with me on the plane?" He then sweetened the deal. "You and Timmy can hold hands on the flight."
Timmy's face lit up. "Cool!"
Q was equally excited. "Okay!"
Teddy and Daria watched the exchange.
"Ah, young love," said Teddy in a deadpan tone.
With equal deadpan, Daria said, "Sickening, isn't it?"
Aunt and nephew exchanged identical smirks.
An American Airlines gate, a short time later...
Both the Carbones and Ruttheimers were at the gate waiting for boarding to begin on their flight to Miami. Suddenly, a familiar voice got everyone's attention.
"Hey, guys," said Jamie as he approached with his wife, Nicole, and his daughter, Rachel.
The adults all stood up and greeted each other.
"What an unbelievable coincidence, huh," said Nicole, "Not only are our flights leaving at the same time, but the gates are right next to each other."
"Tell me about it," said Quinn, "So, you looking forward to seeing your parents for Thanksgiving?"
"I am," said Nicole, "Jamie, not so much."
"Your husband and father still don't get along," said Stacy.
Nicole nodded.
"Join the club," said Quinn, "My father-in-law hates me."
Stacy scowled. "At least your mother's not a heartless bitch!" She then looked out the window and felt a little relieved to see how dark the sky is and how heavily it's raining. "If it weren't for Quinn and her family, I'd be happy if the nasty weather forces a cancellation."
Meanwhile, Jim and Jamie were talking.
"Dude," said Jamie, "you alright?"
"No," Jim admitted, "A computer glitch caused American Airlines to not honor our tickets, so I had to buy new ones at the counter. Cost me twelve-grand."
"Ouch," said a sympathetic Jamie.
"So," said Rachel to Teddy, "your dad had to buy new tickets?"
Teddy nodded. "The new ones cost four times what he'd paid for the original. He's been bitching about it nonstop ever since."
Meanwhile, Timmy and Q were kissing. It wasn't horny teenage making out or anything (he's eleven and she's ten until January), just innocent pecks on each others cheeks. Still, it was enough to annoy Tommy.
"Hey, Romeo and Juliet," Tommy said, "knock it off!"
Both Timmy and Q smirked. They then kissed on the lips just to stick it to Tommy.
Chuck, meanwhile, was now on his cellphone talking to his mother-in-law.
"Okay, Mother Rowe," he said, "We're about to board. I'll let you know when we land."
With that, Chuck hung up.
Just then, an announcement came over the loudspeaker.
"Attention all passengers. We regret to inform you that due to the weather conditions all flights are going to be delayed for at least two hours while we de-ice the planes."
Jim was now even more livid. He went right to the ticket taker, a smarmy looking man with red hair.
"You've gotta be kidding me," said Jim, "TWO HOURS!?"
"Yes," said the ticket taker.
Jim got right in his face as this meant it'd be well past dinner by the time they reach Aunt Amy's. "Dammit, first you rip me off at the ticket counter, NOW THIS!?"
"Sir," said the ticket taker in a condescending tone, "bitching to me won't get the planes de-iced any faster."
"Dammit," said Jim, "could you at least TRY to come off as sympathetic!?"
"Sir," said the ticket taker in an annoyed tone, "This is American Airlines, the one that's known for not giving a shit."
"Ugh!" Jim then rejoined everyone else.
The kids watched the departure screens in horror as the status of each and every flight was changed from 'on-time' to 'delayed'.
"Guys," said Timmy, "They can't cancel Thanksgiving, can they?"
"They just did," replied Teddy, "They just did."
Act II
Philadelphia International Airport, late afternoon...
Freezing rain continues to fall over Philadelphia International Airport. Inside the main terminal Kevin is using a fake ID to get into the American Airlines Admirals Club. He'd long dreamed of a future where he's an NFL quarterback who gets VIP treatment everywhere he goes. Now, he was at the airport solely to make one small piece of that dream come true. Kevin entered the club entrance and approached the greeting desk. He handed his fake pass to the host. The host looked at the fake Admirals Club pass. The name on the pass was Daniel Marino. The host was obviously not an NFL fan as he fell for the fake ID despite the fact that Kevin looks nothing like former Miami Dolphins quarterback Dan Marino. He handed Kevin back his phony ID.
"Welcome to the Admirals Club, Mr. Marino."
"Thanks, dude," said Kevin as he entered the VIP lounge.
As Kevin took in his surroundings he was amazed. This place made the clubhouse at Winged Tree look drab. Luxury furniature, snacks of every kind one could want, an open bar and a bunch of rich jet setters hobnobbing with each other. Kevin walked up to the window and marveled at the view. From here he could see the tarmac and all the runways. In fact, on a clear day one could've seen clear across the Delaware River and well into New Jersey. Unfortunately, due to the shitty weather visibility on this day was limited to halfway across the river.
"Cool," said Kevin, "I didn't know we were right by the ocean!"
One of the staffers corrected him. "Admiral, that's the Delaware River."
Kevin didn't care. "Cool!"
After that exchange, Kevin made his way to the refreshment table and loaded up on snacks. He looked at one of the pigs-in-a-blanket and smiled in amazement.
"I, like, didn't know they made hot dogs that small. Awesome!"
With a fully loaded snack tray, Kevin made his way to a red leather couch by a coffee table and sat down. He placed his feet on the table and proceeded to scarf down the snacks and wash them down with a complimentary bottle of Heineken. The other club members were visibly disgusted by Kevin's juvenile behavior but kept their displeasure to themselves.
It was after he finished eating that Kevin finally crossed the line. He took a pack of Marlboro Reds and lighter from his jacket pocket, took out a cigarette, lit it and proceeded to smoke. He only got in one drag when a female staffer, a twenty-something brunette, approached him.
"I'm sorry, Admiral, but you can't smoke in here."
Kevin was totally deflated. "Why not!?"
"Because," the woman explained, "Federal law forbids smoking anywhere on airport grounds. Sorry, Admiral."
Kevin stood up. "Joke's on you, lady," he said as he put out the cigarette, "I'M NOT REALLY AN ADMIRAL!"
Laughing, Kevin left.
Concourse C, at the very moment...
Chuck was on his cellphone explaining the current situation to his mother-in-law.
"No, Mother Rowe, I'm not calling from the plane," he said, "I'm still at the airport." He frowned as he listened to Mrs. Rowe's response. "No, Stacy didn't cause us to miss our flight. We have a two-hour delay due to the freezing rainstorm outside." He listened some more. "Yes, she's still making her homemade brownies."
Stacy immediately approached her husband. "Is that my mother!?"
Chuck nodded.
Stacy crowded her husband and spoke loud enough to be heard over the phone. "TELL HER THAT FOR MY BROWNIES...WHICH I'VE MADE EVERY THANKSGIVING SINCE 2006 AND WILL MAKE EVERY THANKSGIVING UNTIL I DIE...I NEED REAL BUTTER, NOT MARGARINE!"
Meanwhile, at a condo in Miami...
Mrs. Rowe was a seventy-three-year-old woman with gray hair, a designer pants suit and a perpetual angry scowl. She spoke on the phone while smoking a cigarette. Her voice was grating, the result of decades of heavy smoking.
"Is that my daughter," she said, "tell that whiny little brat that we're a margarine family and always will be...DEAL WITH IT!"
With that, Mrs. Rowe angrily hung up.
Philadelphia International Airport...
Chuck was visibly distraught by the obvious mutual animosity between his wife and her mother.
Stacy folded her arms and scowled. "Mom's insisting on margarine just to spite me, isn't she!?"
Chuck nervously nodded in response.
"Figures," Stacy huffed, "The dominerring bitch!"
Meanwhile, the Carbones and Daria were waiting for the planes to be de-iced so they could board and finally be on their way to see Aunt Amy in Miami. Quinn approached with fruit cups for the family.
"Here, guys," said Quinn as she handed out the fruit cups.
Timmy looked at his and frowned. "Mom," he complained, "this isn't food. This is what food eats."
"Just eat the damn fruit cup, Timmy," Jim hissed, his nerves frazzled because not only is there a two-hour delay but he's still smarting from having to pay twelve-thousand bucks to replace the airline tickets that American Airlines refused to honor. There's also the fact that the airline doesn't even bother to hide the fact that they don't give a damn about their passengers.*
*(Author's note: American Airlines is known for having VERY poor customer service.)
"Jim," said Daria, "I know you're still upset about getting gouged at the ticket counter, but it's generally considered bad parenting to take it out on the kids."
Jim glared at his sister-in-law. "Shut up, Daria!"
"Hey," Quinn barked, "Don't you EVER tell my sister to shut up!"
Jim frowned, realizing that he was acting like an asshole. "Sorry."
Meanwhile, back in Lawndale...
The bad weather that delayed the flights was also over Lawndale. The temperature was rapidly falling, which was causing the rain puddles to start icing over.
Chris Carbone was in his kitchen zapping a Hungry Man dinner in the microwave. The microwave stopped with a ding, indicating that the food was ready. As Chris removed the pre-packaged dinner from the microwave he listened to the weather report on the radio.
"...and there's bad news for anyone flying out of Philadelphia International. The cold, wet weather has caused a two-hour delay for all outgoing flights and the weather is only expected to worsen into the evening."
Chris smiled. "YES," he cheered, "MAYBE I WON'T HAVE TO SPEND THANKSGIVING ALONE AFTER ALL!"
Chris dropped his dinner on the kitchen floor and ran to get his car keys.
Philadelphia International Airport, sometime later...
The Carbones, Ruttheimers and Whites were all growing more impatient as they waited for their delayed flights to start boarding. Quinn was so bored that she'd begun to eavesdrop on other passengers. She overheard a nearby man conversing with his wife.
"God," said the woman, "I hope they start boarding soon."
"Don't bet on it," said the man, "I just heard that American Airlines doesn't have enough workers to de-ice all of their planes, but Delta does and they're honoring all tickets."
Quinn immediately approached the couple. "Excuse me," she said, "but I couldn't help overhearing. Did you just say Delta Air Lines is honoring all tickets?"
The man nodded. "Yes."
"Including direct flights to Miami," Quinn asked.
"Yes," said the man again.
"You wouldn't happen to know which gate Delta's flight to Miami is taking off from, would you?"
The woman said, "I think it's gate D-8."
Quinn smiled. "Thanks, guys."
Quinn then returned to her own family and the Ruttheimers.
"Guess what, guys! Delta's honoring all tickets! The flight to Miami is at gate D-8!"
None of them believed her.
"Quinn," said Stacy, "Are you feeling okay?"
Added Jim, "Yeah, you're acting like you have brain damage."
Quinn was not deterred. "Come on, guys! I've just heard that Delta Air Lines is honoring all tickets and it's the only airline that's flying out of here right now!"
"Quinn," said Daria, "Do you still leave milk and cookies out for Santa Claus too?"
Added Chuck, "Yeah, it sounds like just gossip to me."
Quinn was adamant. "Come on, guys! Look out the window! The weather's bad and only getting worse! If we don't rush over to gate D-8 then..." She faced the Ruttheimers. "...you won't get to spend Thanksgiving with Stacy's parents..." She turned back to her own family. "...and we won't get to spend Thanksgiving with Aunt Amy! Now, you wanna get to Miami or not?"
"Quinn," said Stacy, "we'll take our chances here."
Chuck nodded in agreement.
"Suit yourselves," said Quinn before turning towards her own family, "Come on, guys, we're going!"
"No," Jim insisted, "We aren't! I'll be damned if we miss our flight over an unfounded rumor!"
Added Daria, "I'm with Jim on this one."
"UGH, FINE!"
Quinn sat down and pouted. That was when she saw Timmy looking at his fruit cup in disappointment. She smirked as she suddenly got an idea. She then walked up to him.
"Timmy, if you want some real food, I just saw a fresh line open up at the Popeye's Chicken at the end of the concourse! Hurry before it fills up!"
Timmy's eyes lit up with excitement. "POPEYE'S!" He then made a run for it.
Quinn then turned towards Jim.
"JIM, TIMMY'S RUNNING AWAY!"
Jim went straight into panic mode. "TIMMY!"
He took off and ran after his son. Since Timmy's fat, it didn't take Jim long to catch up to the boy and stop him.
"TIMMY, WHAT THE HELL'S GOTTEN INTO YOU!?"
"D...gasp...Dad...huff...Popeye's...puff...fried...gasp...chicken..."
Before Jim could ask what Timmy meant, Quinn approached to enact the second part of her plan.
"Jim, did you hear? They just announced that we're all being moved to the Delta Air Lines flight at gate D-8!"
Jim wanted to believe her but had some doubts. "You sure?"
"Positive," said Quinn.
"Okay," said Jim, "Let me ask the ticket taker."
"No time," Quinn insisted, "the plane starts boarding in ten minutes."
Jim chose to believe his wife despite lingering doubts. By now, Daria, Teddy and Tommy approached.
"Guys," said Jim, "we've gotta go to gate D-8, pronto!"
Daria looked at Tommy and Teddy as she spoke. "Please tell me I'm not the only one who sees what's going on."
Meanwhile, in another part of the main terminal...
Kevin shakily held his cigarettes in one hand and his lighter in the other. He was desperately looking for a place where he could sneak in a smoke before picking Kevin Jr. up from the arcade and heading back to Lawndale. That's when he saw something.
"YES!"
What Kevin saw was a Mercedes SUV on display as an advertisement for a local dealership. Kevin immediately ducked under the velvet rope, opened the passenger side door and got in the SUV. Once inside, he closed the door and lit a cigarette.
"Ahhh, finally!"
Unfortunately for Kevin, he only managed one drag before there was a tap on the passenger side window.
"Sir," said a security guard, "No smoking at the airport!"
"AW, MAN," said Kevin as he put out the cigarette and exited the vehicle.
Once Kevin was gone, a naked Brittany and also naked Daryl peaked up from the backseat. Relieved that no one had seen them, Kevin's wife and her lover resumed having sex.
Gate D-8, a short time later...
Daria and the Carbones had arrived only to receive some bad news.
"Sorry," said the ticket taker, a blond woman in her twenties, "but whoever gave you that information was wrong. There are no Delta flights from Philadelphia to Miami. In fact, the only cities Delta flies to from here are Atlanta, Boston and Chicago."
Concourse C, a short time later...
The Carbones and Daria were making their way back to their original gate. Jim was pissed.
"Dammit, Quinn," Jim barked, "You lied to me!"
"Jim," Quinn protested, "I swear I didn't know that Delta doesn't fly to Miami from this airport!"
"Quinn," Jim growled, "You made Timmy run off with a fake story about a fresh line at Popeye's, duped me into thinking we had to run clear to the next concourse in order to make it out of here...ALL OVER A RUMOR! JUST HOW STUPID ARE YOU!?"
"HEY," Quinn shouted back, "DON'T CALL ME STUPID!"
"IF YOU DON'T WANNA BE CALLED STUPID," Jim fired back, "THEN DON'T DO STUPID THINGS!"
Quinn hoped her sister would back her up. "DARIA!"
"Sorry, Quinn," said Daria, "But I agree with your husband. Ditching our gate and possibly missing our flight over a rumor was stupid."
Quinn just folded her arms and huffed.
The whole family gasped when they'd reached their original gate. All the passengers were gone and the ticket taker was closing the door to the jetway.
"DAMMIT, QUINN" Jim barked before running over to the ticket taker. "Did we miss our flight!?"
"No," said the ticket taker.
Jim was relieved until...
"It's been cancelled until tomorrow morning," the ticket taker continued.
Jim's eyes went wide. "YOU'VE GOTTA BE KIDDING ME!"
"Sir," said the ticket taker in a condescending voice, "It's raining and the temperature's below freezing. The runways are like skating rinks right now and we're gonna have to work through the night de-icing them."
"DAMMIT," said Jim as he shuffled back to his family.
It was at this point that the Ruttheimers approached.
Chuck noticed the disappointed looks on everyone's faces.
"Guess you guys heard," he said.
"Just now," said Daria.
Added Stacy, "They've reserved a block of rooms at EconoLodge. Shuttles are taking passengers there. We're on our way to catch one now."
Now, Jim was even more upset. "Guy at the gate didn't mention that part."
"American Airlines," Daria quipped, "the airline that doesn't give a shit."
Daria and Teddy then exchanged smirks.
Meanwhile, in another part of the terminal...
Kevin was still determined to have a smoke before picking up his son and going back to Lawndale. To that end, he was hell bent on finding a place where he could light up without being caught. He spotted a door marked 'Airport Staff Only' and smiled.
"AWRIGHT!"
Kevin made his way to the door and opened it. It led to an outside platform with a stairway leading down into the tarmac. Once on the platform Kevin closed the door behind him. He then lit a cigarette and took a drag.
"AHHH, finally! Blissful nicotine!"
Kevin continued to smoke. He enjoyed the cigarette too much to care that he was outside in freezing rain. Finally, he finished the cigarette and put the butt out.
"Dude," said Kevin, "Now I, like, feel better! Well, time to get Junior at the arcade and head home."
Kevin tried to open the door. Unfortunately, the door wouldn't budge.
"Like, what the hell, man!?"
That was when Kevin noticed a keypad next to the door handle. Above the keypad was a sign with large red letters that said...
TO UNLOCK, ENTER EMPLOYEE ID NUMBER ON KEYPAD.
Kevin gasped in horror as he realized that he was now locked outside in freezing rain.
"No! NOOOOOO!"
Panicking, Kevin began to pound on the door.
"HELP! QB in distress! QB IN DISTRESS!"
Curbside pickup, a short time later...
Daria and the Carbones have just boarded a shuttle bus to take them to EconoLodge for the evening. The Ruttheimers were about to join them when...
"Sorry," said the driver, "bus is full."
"Stacy," said Quinn, "you guys can trade with us if you want."
Stacy brushed this off. "That's okay, Quinn. We'll just wait for the next one."
Quinn accepted this. "Okay, see you guys at the hotel."
With that, the door closed and the shuttle bus drove off.
Stacy was surprisingly happy. "Oh, well," she said, "Looks like we're not going to see my parents for Thanksgiving after all. Might as well go home."
Chucky the fourth spoke in his usual monotone.
"Mom wants to get outta seeing Grandma."
At this point who should pull up to the curb but Jim's brother, Chris Carbone. After bringing his car to a stop Chris exited.
"Hey, guys," he said in a suspicously happy tone, "I guess you heard! The airport's shut down 'til tomorrow morning! We're stranded here all night!"
"Chris," said Chuck, "what are you doing here!?"
Chris immediately fished for an excuse. "Um...uhh...I'm here to pick up my Uncle...uh...Stan...Yeah, Uncle Stan's coming in for Thanksgiving!"
Both Stacy and Chuck eyed Chris with suspicion.
"Jim never told me you guys have an uncle named Stan," said Chuck.
Chris scowled. "Look, you guys wanna ride to the hotel or not."
Against their better judgment, the Ruttheimers got in Chris' car.
Airport exit ramp, a short time later...
Chuck was riding shotgun while Stacy, Q and Chucky were in the backseat.
"So, Chris," asked Chuck, "Did your uncle Stan make it in?"
Chris had already forgotten the name he gave for the made up uncle. "Who?"
"Stan," said Stacy, "the uncle you supposedly came here to pick up."
"Oh, yeah," said Chris, "Um, he's not coming in until tomorrow!"
"Then why are you here to pick him up tonight," asked Q.
Chris became nervous.
Chucky the fourth, in his usual snark, said what his parents and sister were thinking.
"You made him up."
That made Chris angry. He turned to face Chucky, taking his eyes off the road.
"Listen, kid..."
"CHRIS, LOOKOUT," Stacy shouted.
Chris turned his attention back to the road. "AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!"
He crashed his car right into the back of a salt truck.
"You totaled your car," Chucky snarked as the rest caught their breath.
EconoLodge parking lot, evening...
The Ruttheimers and Chris walked through the freezing rain towards the hotel. What they saw made them all gasp.
All of the shuttle buses were parked and the sign read 'No Vacancies'.
Both Chuck and Stacy scowled at Chris.
"Thanks a lot," said Chuck in a sarcastic tone.
Act III
Philadelphia International Airport, morning...
Still stuck at the airport, Chuck, Stacy, Chucky and Q all looked as miserable as they felt. It's Thanksgiving and they're supposed to be in Miami visiting Stacy's parents. Instead, they're still in the central terminal at Philadelphia International airport because a freezing rainstorm resulted in a two-hour flight delay that ended with their flight being postponed until the next morning. The airline had booked rooms at nearby hotel for the stranded passengers. The Ruttheimer's tried to catch a shuttle bus to said hotel, but the bus was full. While wating for the next bus Chris Carbone showed up claiming to be there to pick up his uncle, Stan, though no one believed that. Against their better judgment, the Ruttheimers took Chris up on his offer to drive them to the hotel. They'd barely made it out of the airport when Chris got distracted and accidentally slammed his car into the back of a salt truck. This forced them to walk the rest of the way to the hotel in freezing rain only to find that all the reserved rooms had been filled by the time they got there, forcing the family to wait for an Uber in the freezing rain to take them beck to the airport. Now, it was morning and they were back at their gate, cold and sleep deprived. The only upside was the weather. The freezing rainstorm had stopped overnight and their was no rain this morning, though the sky was still gray and overcast.
Exchausted, Chuck was on his laptop looking at the weather on his homepage. He did not like what he saw.
"Well," said Chuck,"Those planes better board soon. Turns out we're only gonna be dry for a few hours before we get another bout of freezing rain even worse than the one we had yesterday. There may even be a little snow mixed in with this one."
Too exhausted to do more, Stacy and the kids just sighed.
At this point the Carbones and Daria showed up, looking well rested.
"Man," said Jim, "that suite at EconoLodge was just the thing to improve my mood. I've never felt so well rested."
Added Timmy, "And we got to eat at a breakfast buffet for free!" He punctuated this statement by patting his large round stomach.
Quinn turned her attention to the Ruttheimers. "Guys, where were you," she asked, "We waited at the hotel for two hours and you never showed."
"Ask your idiot brother-in-law," said Stacy in an angry yet exhausted tone.
Jim raised an eyebrow. "Chris was here!? Why?"
Chuck explained. "Said he was here to pick up your uncle, Stan. Anyway, Chris offered to drive us to the hotel but wound up crashing his car into a salt truck."
Added Stacy in a bitter tone, "So we walk in freezing rain and guess what!? By the time we get to the hotel all the rooms are full! Chuck called an Uber to take us back and we've been stuck here ever since."
"Jim," asked a suspicious Daria, "How come no one ever told me you have an uncle named Stan?"
"Because I don't," said a visibly embarrassed Jim, "Chris made him up. In fact, there's no one named Stan anywhere on my family tree."
"Knowing Jim's brother," added Quinn, "He probably came here after hearing about the flight delays because he was lonely."
It was at this point that the Whites (Jamie, Nicole and Rachel) approached. They were going to visit Nicole's parents in LA and their flight gate was right next to the Carbones and Ruttheimers gate.
"Man," said a visibly energetic Jamie, "I can't remember the last time I slept that good."
Added Nicole, "You said it, babe, and the complimentary body wash was an especially nice touch." She then turned to the Ruttheimers. "How come we never saw you guys at the hotel?"
The entier Ruttheimer family stared daggers at Nicole.
Not knowing what the Ruttheimers had been through, Nicole was genuinely puzzled by their reaction.
"What?"
It was at this point that an announcement came over the speakers.
"Attention, Passengers. Now that there's a break in the weather all delayed flights from yesterday may begin boarding. Keep in mind that there's only a small window for take off, so all passengers are strongly encouraged to board their flights as quickly as possible."
The Whites got in line for their flight to LA while the Carbones and Ruttheimers got in line for their flight to Miami. The Carbones approached the jetway and handed their boarding passes to the ticket taker. Upon looking at Daria's ticket, the man looked at her.
"Miss Morgendorffer," said the ticket taker, "It appears that we've over-sold the seats in coach."
Daria sighed, assuming this meant she'd be left behind.
"Am I at least getting a refund?"
"Better," said the ticket taker, "There are two available seats in first class that are right next to each other. Since you paid same-day markup price the airline has instructed me to give a free upgrade to you and another passenger of your choosing."
Daria was stunned speechless.
The plane's first-class cabin, a short time later...
Daria was relaxing in the plush leather aisle seat while Teddy was doing the same in his equally comfortable window seat. The seats, in addition to being made of cushony white leather, offered ample legs and elbow room.
"Thanks for choosing me, Anut Daria," said Teddy.
"No problem, Teddy," replied Daria, "Not only are you my favorite nephew but I figured you could use a break from your parents and brothers. I know I need one."
"Aunt Daria," Teddy quipped, "Are you sure you aren't my real mom?"
"I wish I was," replied Daria in similar deadpan, "You're the only person your age who doesn't make me wanna take a microwave into the bathtub."
They exchanged identical smirks.
Meanwhile, in coach...
The seats were small and very uncomfortable, with zero leg room.
"Dammit," Jim complained, "this seat's so tight my balls are gonna be squished jelley by the time we land!"
Quinn huffed, "I can't believe Daria got a free upgrade and I didn't!" She suddenly looked concerned. "Am I losing my looks?!"
"If you are," said Jim, "then how come so many of your male YouTube viewers keep begging you to start an OnlyFans? I've seen the comments."
Quinn felt reassured. "Thanks, Jim. I'm not doing it, though. One foray into online porn was enough for me..." She cast an angry glance at Chuck Ruttheimer. "...CHUCK!"
Chuck blushed out of embarrassment. He knew Quinn was referring to the time she and Jim terminated his IT services and he responded by stalking them, secretly filming the couple's sex life and putting the footage on PornHub.
Chucky Ruttheimer, sitting next to Tommy, had overheard and responded by speaking to Tommy in his usual monotone.
"My Dad watched your parents have sex."
Tommy blushed with embarrassment. It was at this point that an announcement came over the plane's intercom.
"Attention, passengers, this is your captain speaking. Welcome aboard American Airlines flight 126, nonstop to Miami. We will be departing shortly. Bear in mind that we only have a small window for take off and therefore can't return to the gate if any passengers cause any distruptions, so please be considerate of your fellow travelers. Please direct your attention to the front of the cabin for your pre-flight safety demonstration."
First class, a short time later...
As the plane began to slowly move across the tarmac Daria actually let out a serene sigh.
"You know, Teddy," she said, "after forty-two years I think my luck has finally changed for the better."
No sooner had Daria said that when the plane slowed down and stopped moving. This was immediately followed by an announcement over the intercom.
"Attention, passengers, this is your captain speaking. We've encountered a slight delay but will resume taxi and take off shortly. Thank you for your patience."
"What the hell," said Daria.
"I think our bad luck has just returned," said Teddy as he pointed out the window.
Daria leaned over her nephew and peered out the window. She saw something that no airline passenger wants to see. All of the taxi ways were congested with long lines of planes desperately trying to take off before the bad weather returns. The lines were so long that they extended out well onto the tarmac.
"It figures," said Daria with an eye roll.
Two hours later...
The plane is still in line waiting for its turn to take off. In coach, everyone was starting to get antsy.
"Unbelieveable," said a frustrated Chuck, "First a car accident, a walk in the freezing rain, an uncomfortably restless night and the airport and now this!?"
Added Stacy," and my mother's probably gonna give me hell for being a day late! You know, if my brother were a day late Mom would try to make him feel better by spoiling him rotten! Me? She's probably gonna find a way to blame me for this like she balmes me for everything else that goes wrong! UGH!"
Quinn and Jim were also complaining.
"Ugh, I can't freaking believe this," Jim groaned.
Quinn tried to be positive. "Relax, Jim. The lines moving. We'll probably be in the air soon."
Jim looked out the window and was relieved that there was now only one plane left in front of them. His mood improved as they watched that plane go onto the runway and take off. This meant that their plane would take off next.
"Finally," said a relieved Jim, "this nightmare's almost over."
Suddenly, there was a loud clap of thunder outside the plane. After the thunder it started raining again, even harder than the day before.
"Dammit," said a frustrated Jim, "Don't do this to me, God!"
Quinn tried to calm her husband down. "Relax, Jim, it can't get any worse."
Then an announcement came over the intercom.
"Attention, passengers, this is your captain speaking. We regret to inform you that the bad weather has returned and we've missed our window for take off. Air Control has ordered all remaining flights to immediately return to their gates and disembark. We apologize for the inconvenience."
Jim scowled. "Congratulations, Quinn. It's worse!"
Concourse C, two hours later...
Outside, the freezing rain and gale force winds were causing the tarmac and runways to rapidly ice over. Inside, Jim and Chuck were talking to the ticket taker while their respective families listened.
"Dammit," barked a frustrated Chuck, "we're supposed to be in Miami with my wife's parents right now!"
Added an equally frustrated Jim, "and we're supposed to be visiting our Aunt for Thanksgiving! Can't you do something!?"
"Sirs," said the frustrated ticket taker, "the runways and tarmac are rapidly icing over and the winds are too violent for take off. Philadelphia International is completely shut down!"
"So that's it," said Jim, "Thanksgiving's cancelled!"
"I'm out two grand," Chuck barked.
The ticket taker let out a frustrated sigh. "Yes! I'm sorry, but it's out of my hands."
Jim growded the ticket taker. "There's gotta be something we can do!"
"UGH! FINE," said the ticket taker as he looked at his computer. "Well, this is interesting. There are flights to Miami taking off from Northeast Philadelphia."
"Northeast Philadelphia," said a taken aback Jim, "That's clear on the other side of the city!"
The ticket taker continued to look at his screen. "There are ten available seats on a charter flight to Miami, I'm transferring you people now. Flight takes off in seventy-five minutes."
"Seventy-five minutes," said a horrified Chuck, "We'll never make it in time!"
The ticket taker continued. "There's a shuttle bus at curbside pickup taking passengers directly to Northeast Airfield that leaves in ten minutes. It's your only chance."
Curbside pickup, ten minutes later...
Both the Carbones and Ruttheimers ran out of the terminal and into the freezing rain. The bus doors were starting to close.
"HOLD THOSE DOORS," Jim called out as both families ran to the bus. Daria and the Carbones ran onto the bus. The Ruttheimers were about to join them when the driver slammed the bus door in their faces. The Carbones were in such a rush that they didn't notice that their friends were being left behind.
"Finally," said Daria as she took a seat.
"Miami," said Tommy, "here we come!"
Timmy was the first one to notice that the Ruttheimers didn't make it on the bus.
"WHERE'S Q," said Timmy.
Teddy pointed out the window.
The Ruttheimers were still out on the curb on the freezing rain.
Quinn spoke to the bus driver. "WAIT! Our friends are still out there!"
"Sorry, lady," said the driver, "bus is full."
As the bus began to drive off Quinn, Jim, the boys and Daria looked out the window and saw the depressed frowns on the Ruttheimers faces. This tugged on everyone's heart strings.
"Jim," said Quinn.
"I'm on it," said Jim, "Driver, stop the bus!"
Outside...
The Ruttheimers were surprised to see the bus stop after only moving twenty feet. They were further surprised when the doors opened and their friends all filed out. As the bus left, the Carbones and Daria made their way to the Ruttheimers.
Q threw her arms around her boyfriend. "Oh, Timmy! I just knew you wouldn't leave me like that!"
"Guys," said Stacy, "why'd you get off the bus?"
Answered Jim, "because it was the right thing to do."
Added Quinn, "As much as we wanna see Aunt Amy, we aren't willing to leave our best friends out in the cold for it."
"Speak for yourself," deadpanned Daria.
Stacy threw her arms around Quinn. "OH, QUINN! Thank you!"
"So," asked Chuck, "what now?"
Fate seemed to answer that question.
"GUYS," Jamie called out as the Whites exited the terminal and approached, "Guess who we found wondering around the terminal by himself."
Kevin Jr. was with them.
"Guys," said the distressed boy, "I can't find my dad anywhere! He was supposed to pick me up at the arcade yesterday after dropping off Mom and Mr. Johnson but he never showed up...AND I CAN'T FIND DAD ANYWHERE!"
With that, all three families went back inside the central terminal to help search for the missing Kevin.
Central terminal food court, late afternoon...
The airport was completely shut down due to the winter storm raging outside. The Carbones, Daria, the Ruttheimers, the Whites and Kevin Jr. were all seated around a big table in the food court. Otherwise, the terminal appears to be deserted. They'd just spent hours looking for Kevin but hadn't been able to find him. Chuck was busy on his laptop while Stacy was talking on her cellphone. Everyone else just sat there with forlorn expressions.
Kevin Jr. sighed. "I can't believe Dad just disappeared on me."
Added Q, "I can't believe I won't be spending Thanksgiving with Grandma and Grandpa."
Timmy had his own complaint. "I can't believe all the restaurants are closed. I was hoping we'd at least be able to eat something."
Stacy finished her call. "SCREW YOU, MOM!" With that, she angrily hung up. Stacy then proceeded to explain to the others. "Well, I just finished telling my mother we wouldn't make it. She was disappointed." Stacy scowled before continuing. "So disappointed that she told me this is all MY fault, called me an ungrateful wench and then rubbed my nose in the weather." She sighed before going on, her angry scowl turning into a depressed frown. "They aren't having freezing rain in Miami. In fact, it's 80 degrees and sunny down there." She was now struggling not to cry. "THEY'RE SPENDING THANKSGIVING ON THE BEACH!" She finally broke down and started crying.
"HEY, GUYS," a familiar voice called out.
Everyone looked up and was surprised to see Jim's brother, Chris, standing there.
"Chris," said Jim, "what are you doing here!?"
Chris sighed. "I wrecked my car. Not that it matters. The roads are so icy that it isn't safe to drive back to Lawndale anyway." He then hung his head in shame as he faced the Ruttheimers. "Also, I have a confession to make; I don't have an uncle named Stan."
"I already told them that," said Jim.
Stacy stopped crying and faced Chris. "Even if Jim didn't blow your cover, we kinda figured you made him up anyway."
At this point, they were approached by Tom, Sandi and their son, Shane.
"Tom," said a surprised Daria.
"Sandi," said an equally surprised Quinn, "what are you guys doing here?"
"We were supposed to be spending Thanksgiving at our beach house in Hawaii," said Sandi, "Instead, we're stuck here because of the shit weather!"
Added Tom, "Guess who we found freezing his ass off on the tarmac."
The Sloanes stepped aside to reveal a shivering Kevin with them.
"DAD," said Kevin Jr. as he ran up and hugged Kevin, "YOU'RE ALRIGHT!"
"H...Hey, Junior," said Kevin as he returned the hug, "I was freezing to death out there all night! Th...The only thing that kept me going was the will to smoke again...and the discarded ashtrays from an Air France flight."
It was at this point that Brittany and Daryl approached.
"Kevie," she nervously said, "Um...you're still here!"
Kevin and his wife hugged. "Long story, babe! Hey, Daryl, thanks for keeping her safe while I was gone!"
Daryl and Brittany exchanged guilty frowns. "Um...yeah," said Daryl in an unconvincing tone, "That's what Brittany and I were doing." He was relieved that Kevin believed him.
Stacy sighed. "This is the worst Thanksgiving ever!"
Quinn stood up from her seat and tried to cheer everyone up.
"Come on, guys! Yeah, all our plans for Thanksgiving were ruined, but does that really matter? Thanksgiving isn't about vacationing in Miami, LA, Hawaii or wherever. It's about spending time with the people you care about. It's about friends and family being grateful for all the good things and remembering how much they enrich each other's lives. Yes, we're all stuck here until at least tomorrow, but we're all stuck here together. We're all friends and family who truly care about each other, who make each other's lives better just by being there. Yes, we're stuck here, but we're still together. We still all have each other, and I can't imagine a better reason to be thankful than that."
Everyone else felt better. It was at this point that Chuck looked up from his laptop.
"I just found something else to be thankful for," said Chuck, "I've just been hacking into the airport's computer systems, including those for all businesses operating out of this terminal. Chick fil A, Subway and Vino Volo all have full inventories. Just say the word and I can re-open them without setting off alarms."
Jim's face lit up. "I'm a master of Italian cooking. Quinn and I can work the kitchen at Vino Volo's."
Added Daria. "Teddy and I can handle the kitchen at Chick fil A."
Q spoke up. "Timmy and I can make salads at Subway!"
Stacy got an idea. "Chuck, does the pastry shop have full inventory."
Chuck briefly checked. "No, but they are fully stocked with butter and fudge, and there's enough flour, sugar and nuts to do what you're probably planning!"
Stacy looked at the screen and smiled. "YES! There's enough of what I need to make more than enough of my famous brownies for everyone!"
Quinn stood up and took charge. "Come on, everyone! WE HAVE A THANKSGIVING DINNER TO MAKE!"
Evening...
Everyone was at Vino Vuolo enjoying a makeshift Thanksgiving feast. It wasn't traditional, but they were all together. For that, everyone was thankful.
Happy Thanksgiving.