What Tears Us Apart(Sequel to What Brings Us Together)

Chapter Forty-Nine: Thanksgiving

I was up at Six AM the morning before Thanksgiving day so I could prep all of the food that I wouldn't have to cook tomorrow. Mom and Dad were coming in later today, Thomas was supposed to be coming to help, and Ms. Dibny was coming  to...prepare me. That wasn't menacing at all. Just how scary is this woman? 

The doorbell rang as I was organizing the dough strips over the pie pan.

"Come in, doors open!" I yelled. The door opened and I poked my head out of the kitchen to see that it was Thomas, lugging in a bunch of grocery bags. "Ok, what do you have for me?"

"I have ingredients for Mashed Potatoes, gravy, cranberry sauce, pumpkin pie, green bean casserole, Popcorn balls, roll ingredients for Mom and then everything on this random list that Ralph's Mom sent me, she said she would tell me what to do with it when she gets here."

"Great. Ok, so Mom, Dad, and Ms. Dibny will be here in a couple of hours. I'm going to put Mom, obviously on Roll duty, since she is the best at it. I've already started the pecan pie, and I'm on Green Been Casserole duty, Ralph will be on Mashed Potatoes when he gets out of the shower, I have Hannah on Pumpkin Pie because apparently its her favorite, so I need you to hit cranberry sauce and gravy, and then when Mom and Dad get here, I'll have you and Dad do Popcorn balls."

"Yes, Ma'am." He started digging in the grocery sacks pulling out all of his ingredients. I heard steps on the stairs, and Hannah came into the kitchen, still in her pajamas.

"Great, you're up, wash your hands and get cooking, kid." I told her.

"Its too early for this." She groaned.

"Well, that's Thanksgiving for you, so suck it up, buttercup."

"Its really good to know that you were always annoying early in the morning, especially on Thanksgiving." Hannah said, yawning as she walked over to the sink. "So, just out of curiosity, I have lived through many a Dibny/Wilson Thanksgiving dinner, so do you want a cheat sheet, or do you want to be a strong and independent woman and figure this out on your own?"

"Believe me Hannah, I've got this," I told her, "But stay alert, just in case."

"Aye-aye capin'." Hannah offered me a two fingered salute.  Then Ralph came in. "Dad, if I were you, I'd run. Get out while you still can, she's gone into drill sergeant mode, she has the next forty-eight hours of your life scheduled down to the bathroom breaks!"

"Ok, over-dramatic much?" I asked her. "I was just going to have him make the mashed potatoes. Ralph, the recipe is on the fridge."

"Oh, um...about that..." He said. I furrowed my eyebrows, looking at him. "My Uncle Tony kind of specializes in this like, top secret family recipe that has some secret seasoning on it? Its one of the non-negotiable things of a Dibny Thanksgiving." I nodded.

"So...ballpark, just how many non-negotiable things are we talking here?" I asked. He scratched the back of his neck.

"My mom has a list."

"She sent me a list of ingredients," Thomas pointed out, "Any of this stuff you know how to make?" Ralph walked over to the counter, and began looking through the bags.

"Cooking was never really my job on Thanksgiving. The Dibny men are supposed to stay as far away from the kitchen as possible, except Uncle Tony." Thomas looked at me.

"What have you gotten us into?" He asked. I rolled my eyes.

"Ok look," I told Ralph, "The only way that this is going to work, is if we all find a way to compromise. So I'm sorry, but some of the Dibny's non-negotiable traditions are gonna have to be negotiated." Ralph winced.

"I don't know how well that's gonna go over with Grandma-"

"Oh my gosh, why are you all so scared of this old woman? How bad can she really be?"

"I told you, remember Cousin Vin's girlfriend? Ruined Mascara and restraining order? She was our next door neighbor and moved halfway across tow because she was scared to go out and get the mail! Grandma Dibny likes things to be done a certain way, and when someone or something gets in the way of that, she does not take it well."

"Well, I'm not scared of her." I told him. "I am going to do the best that I can, and if she doesn't like it, she can keep it to herself."

"Remember this moment guys, because by this time tomorrow...I'm going to be a widow." Ralph told them. I shook my head, rolling my eyes when the doorbell rang. I ran over to the kitchen doorway.

"Come in, its open!" The door opened, and rather conveniently, Mom, Dad, and Ms. Dibny came in all at the same time. "Great, you're all here. Ms. Dibny, can you please inform your son that I am not going to have to worry about his grandma?" She swallowed and looked at me with wide eyes.

"Do everyone a favor, especially yourself...and don't ever say that out loud in front of my mother-in-law." She said. I raised my eyebrows, turning around and looking at everyone in the kitchen.

"What have I gotten us into?" I asked.

"I'm sure its all going to be fine." Thomas said, coming out and patting my shoulder.

"Thomas?" I looked back, remembering that my parents hadn't seen Thomas since the last time we had a family dinner. Since Dad kicked him out. I've been updating them on his involvement in my life, but they still haven't talked or made up since the last ordeal.

"Mom. Dad." He greeted. My Dad stepped forwards towards, and for a terrifying moment, I wasn't sure what he was going to do next.

"Thomas," He started, "I think the last time we were together we both said some things we didn't mean." Thomas nodded. "I'm sorry that we didn't believe you when you said you were innocent." He shook his head.

"Dad, its ok. No one did." My dad nodded, smiling sadly.

"But we're you're parents. We know you better than anyone. We should have known better." Thomas smiled at Dad. "Can you ever forgive me?"

Thomas didn't answer. Instead, he grabbed my Dad's arm and pulled him into a hug. Mom and Ms. Dibny wrapped an arm around each other, and Ralph came out of the kitchen putting a hand on my back.

"Great,"  I said, "Now that the family's all back together, please help me figure this out." Mom, Dad, and Ms. Dibny went into the kitchen and I turned towards Ralph, grabbing his left hand and taking his wedding ring off of his finger. His eyes widened.

"I forgot I was wearing it." He said. I nodded.

"Luckily, I don't think they noticed. Why don't you go ahead and put it on top of the dresser with mine." He nodded, going to leave when I grabbed his arm, stopping him. "This is all going to be ok, right?" He smiled, putting his hands on my face.

"If anyone can take a difficult situation and turn it into the best Thanksgiving dinner ever...it would be you." I smiled, putting a hand on his wrist as he kissed me briefly before going to put his ring away. I sighed, turning and walking into the kitchen to join everyone else.

"Laura," My mom said in a scolding tone, 'Aren't you going to introduce us to your guest?" I furrowed my eyebrows and she nodded towards Hannah. Hannah was staring at me with wide eyes.

"Right! Yes, everybody this is Hannah, she's...a college student at the university! Yes, and she is originally from Florida and couldn't go home for the holidays, so she's staying with us over the break. We've kind of...adopted her." I lied.

"Well, its great to meet you, Hannah." Mom said, shaking her hand. "I'm Stephanie, this is my Husband Tom, and Ralph's Mom, Debbie." She shook their hands too.

"Great to meet you all. I should probably...go get dressed." She slipped past me, shooting me a look that said 'that was close'. I smiled.

"Right...lets get to work, shall we?