A Second Chance

Chapter 9

A couple of weeks before Thanksgiving, Rory was sitting in her living room with Megan (her sister in law), talking about their Thanksgiving plans.

"Wait, so who's coming?" Rory asked.

"So it's gonna be me, John, and the girls" Megan said

"Obviously" Rory chimed in. They were having Thanksgiving dinner at Megan's house that year so it'd be weird if Megan, her husband, and their kids weren't there.

"You and Matthew" Megan continued. "Mason, Sofia, and the kids, and my parents"

"Sounds good"

"Yeah" Megan nodded. "Hey, you should invite your boyfriend"

I can't do that" Rory said

"Sure you can" Megan said. "Tons of people bring their boyfriends to their family's house for holidays"

"Let me just reword that idea" Rory said. "You want me to bring my boyfriend to Thanksgiving dinner with my dead husband's family"

"Ok, I see your point, but I promise nobody's gonna be thinking that" Megan said. "It was actually my parents' idea"

"I don't know"

"Look, you don't have to, but I will say that we're your family no matter what. It doesn't matter if you get married again, or if you move across the world, or if you wander out into the woods to live like a hermit. You're stuck with us. We all just want you to be happy"

Rory smiled softly. "I'll ask him"

"Yay"

Later that evening Rory and Logan were sitting in the kitchen. "By the way, you've been invited to Thanksgiving dinner"

"I thought you were having Thanksgiving with your in laws" Logan said

"I am"

"And they want me to come?"

"You don't have to go, I just wanted you to know that they invited you"

"Do you want me to go?" Logan asked. He didn't have plans for Thanksgiving and while he thought it'd be a little awkward to go with Rory, he'd been invited so if she wanted him to go he would.

"I don't want you to be uncomfortable, but I think it could be nice. Plus it's than you spending the day alone and eating cereal for dinner"

"Hey, I cook"

"You know what I mean"

"I know what you mean" Logan said. "I'll come with you, but are you sure it won't be weird?"

"Honestly, I don't" Rory said. "I mean, these are some of the nicest people I've ever met, and they really are my family"

"Ok"

The next morning, Rory woke up to the sound of Matthew laughing. Whenever Logan slept over and was awake when Matthew came into the bedroom, he'd take him out of the room so that Rory could sleep.

Rory got up and brushed her teeth before leaving the room to go find them. They were sitting on the rug in the playroom and matthew was showing Logan his animal toys. Logan had seen all of Matthew's toys multiple times by that point, but Matthew was always excited to show him.

Rory stood in the doorway and watched as Logan quickly snatched the plastic horse from in front of Matthew and put it behind his back.

Matthew laughed.

"What's so funny?" Logan asked

"My horsey" Matthew said, still laughing.

"What about it?"