Thank you everyone for joining us for our annual Thanksgiving marathon. We return to our normal schedule of Monday Wednesday Friday next week, but the Holiday marathon is right around the corner.
Black Friday
"Daddy! Uncle Danny's here!" DJ yelled as Catherine opened the front door of the beach house.
"I told you he'd come!" Angie squealed as she ran into the living room from the kitchen followed by Joan.
Danny knelt down to accept hugs from the children. "What do you mean I told you he'd come?" he asked Angie.
"Daddy said you probably wouldn't show up this morning because you only agreed to go yesterday because you can't spell turkey," Angie said matter of factly.
Catherine chuckled. "I don't think that's quite what Daddy said."
Steve made his way into the room drying his hands on a dish towel. "What I said was that Uncle Danny only agreed to go shopping today because he was under the spell of Mommy's delicious turkey. Otherwise he would have been able to come up with an excuse."
"Very funny." Danny rolled his eyes. "I said I would brave the stores with you today and I am a man of my word. I'm just hoping at the end of this nightmare trip there might be a turkey sandwich waiting for me."
Catherine smiled. "The leftovers are in the fridge. Aaron and Mary are having a date day and Mom and I are headed to the mall to get a start on Christmas shopping." She kissed Steve as the kids ran upstairs to get their shoes. "Are you sure you want to do this? I could always grab the things on the list on the way home from the mall."
"You go and have fun," he said confidently. "We got this."
"Spoken like a man who hasn't ever been to Costco on Black Friday," Danny grumbled.
"When was the last time you were there the day after Thanksgiving?" Steve asked.
"Never," Danny replied. "Because I know how busy they are on random Tuesday nights so I'm sure the place is gonna be a nightmare today."
"Then why did you agree to go?" Steve volleyed back.
"Because my godchildren and niece asked me to," Danny said.
"And why was it again that they got to pick an activity for you to do with them this weekend?" Steve pretended to ponder. "Oh-that's right. Because you lost the football game yesterday as usual."
"But we only lost by 14 points this year," Danny said. "Next year we'll win for sure."
Steve snorted. "You keep thinking that if it helps you sleep at night."
The aisles of Costco were already bustling with Black Friday shoppers as Steve and Danny grabbed a cart and herded the kids into the big box store. Several people smiled, recognizing the members of the task force shopping with the three children.
"I normally ask what's wrong with you, but today…" Danny waved a hand, "I'm questioning my own sanity. This place is a freak show already and they only opened three minutes ago," he groused. "Have you never heard of curbside pick up?"
Steve smirked. "Where would the fun be in that?"
"Can we get something for Grandma and Grandpa and Grandma Ang?" Angie asked, her father and uncle's banter being so familiar, it was barely on her radar. "Something special, 'cause they got us our Thanksgiving shirts for yesterday. Can we, Daddy?"
"That's a very nice idea, baby girl." He grinned. "What do you think we should get?"
"How about a big bag of their favorite coffee?" Danny suggested, as they passed the tea and coffee aisle.
He stopped at the end of the aisle to try a sample of a new flavored coffee.
"Or we could get them a giant box of chocolates," DJ offered, following close behind, next to Joan. "Grandpa was just saying that all their leftover Halloween candy is gone and he misses having it around."
"And Uncle Joseph really likes those super big bags of macadamia nuts," Joan suggested. "We can never find the giant bags in our stores at home."
"And Grandma likes the mango tea," Angie said.
"Alright then," Steve looked at the kids, giving a nod of approval. "We'll get them all."
"YAY!" All three kids cheered in unison.
"Well since you seem to be in the mood to buy, I could use new tires for the Camaro," Danny teased.
"Sorry." Steve smirked. "You're on your own."
As they wandered through the aisles, Danny pointed out the holiday decorations. "Look at all this stuff. This is crazy. They've had Christmas trees up since Halloween."
"You're silly, Uncle Danny," Joan giggled, "that's how the stores work."
"But it's still November," Danny protested with a mock gasp. "And only on the island can you buy a Christmas Tree and a surfboard while you're picking up your paper towels at Costo."
He snagged a chocolate wafer cookie from one of the sample stands and popped it in his mouth.
"One stop shopping," Steve grinned. "Efficient."
"One, you would never buy a surfboard at Costco," Danny pointed out, "And did I not warn you when Catherine was pregnant to get the gold level membership because you'd be here way more often than you'd ever imagine." He glanced at a sale item and moved to grab four pillows and toss them in the cart. At Steve's raised brow he said, "What? We need new pillows and these are a great price."
"Look, Daddy, can we get the giant bag of gummy bears for Mommy?" Angie pointed at the towering stack of candy, her eyes sparkling with delight.
Steve chuckled. "For Mommy, hmm?"
"'Cause she likes them." She nodded with a grin that was Catherine's. "And Mommy always shares with us."
"That's a pretty big bag, even for all of us," Steve pretended to ponder.
"We'll help you guys eat them," Joan said, "Me and Aunt Deb like the orange ones best. Mama and Daddy like all the colors the same."
"Then I guess it's okay," Steve winked at DJ, who was laughing as his sister ran and grabbed the candy, her "Thank you!" muffled behind the huge bag.
"Okay, guys, let's stick together," Danny said, keeping a watchful eye on the kids as they continued to shop. "This place is crazier than a New Jersey mall on Black Friday. I tell you, I've seen chaos, but this…" He shook his head, trailing off into a familiar diatribe.
As they passed yet another sample stand Danny snagged a curry flavored chicken wing.
"Again, Danny?" Steve teased, a grin tugging at the corners of his lips. "We're just here to grab some essentials, and apparently some samples, not do riot control."
"Essentials, huh?" Danny raised an eyebrow, gesturing to the overloaded shopping cart. "You've got enough toilet paper to last the rest of the next year. And who needs this many cans of olives?"
"Me and Daddy love olives," DJ told his uncle, shooting a smile at Steve.
"Yeah, and they go good on pizza," Angie added.
As the group made their way to the snack aisle, the air was filled with the sounds of shoppers and the wheels of overloaded carts squeaking across the floor.
"You can't move an inch without bumping into someone," Danny said, shaking his head. "We all deserve dessert."
"Just think of it as a lesson in patience," Steve said as he guided the kids through the throng of shoppers.
"My patience is better with dessert," Danny groaned playfully, glancing around the packed store.
Angie tugged at Steve's hand. "Daddy, can we get that giant box of animal crackers?"
"That's a lot of animal crackers, baby girl, and we already have the gummy bears," Steve said, his eyes crinkling with his amused smile.
"How about cheesey crackers, then?" Angie suggested.
"Good compromise," her father said as Danny grinned at him. "A giant box of cheesey crackers it is," Steve reached for the oversized container.
"You're not gonna need to buy snack food until Easter," Danny told the kids.
"Uncle Steve, Mommy gave me some money to spend, I think I wanna get a puzzle activity book." Joan's voice came up from a few steps away where she and DJ were exploring the array of books. "We can all do them together."
"Absolutely. Great idea, Joanie," Steve said and she beamed. "But you can save your money. This one's on me. Pick one out and you guys can have a puzzle session when we get home."
"Thanks, Uncle Steve! C'mon, let's pick one," Joan told her cousins.
"It's Black Friday, and you're buying coloring books," Danny mused, shaking his head as he filled the cart with a few more essentials. "Did you ever imagine?"
"Not in a million years, but Nonna would say it's the little things that make the best memories," Steve replied, flashing a smile. "Right, guys?"
"Right!" the kids chorused as Danny grinned and said, "And Nonna's always right."
As they rounded the aisle nearest the food court, the aroma of pizza and hot dogs filled the air.
"Can we get puka dogs, please?" Joan asked. "Costco at home doesn't have them."
"And churros?" Angie's eyes lit up.
"Absolutely," Steve agreed, ruffling her hair. "Though Uncle Danny has tried every sample in the place so I'm not sure he's hungry."
"I definitely want a churro," Danny insisted. "They remind me of zeppole. Go grab a table, I'll get in line."
Once they'd settled at a table with their lunch, Danny said, "So, who can tell me the best part of Thanksgiving dinner yesterday?"
"The turkey!" Angie exclaimed, her face beaming with delight. "And the ambrosia … and the brussels sprouts…"
"The green bean casserole and mashed potatoes!" DJ added with a wide grin.
Joan raised her hand excitedly. "The pumpkin pie! I ate two slices!"
Danny chuckled. "Two slices, I remember when you were a slow eater. Not so much when there's great pie, right?"
"Yes!" Joan giggled. "And I loved the crafts with Aunt Cath and Mama and Aunt Deb."
"We made place cards with glitter stickers!" Angie said animatedly. "That's why they were sparkly and shiny!"
"Stickers are great and Aunt Mary and Mommy like them so there's not glitter everywhere," DJ added, causing the men to chuckle.
"Hey, when we have leftovers tonight, I need another slice of pumpkin pie," Danny teased, "I didn't get to have three slices."
"Next time you'll have to fight Carrie for it," Steve teased, earning a chorus of laughter from the kids.
"I love Costco trips," Angie said with a grin. "Can we come again with Uncle Danno the day after Thanksgiving next year?"
"Definitely," Steve smirked, "I know he's already looking forward to it."
# THE END thanks for reading
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