Then It Hits Me

Chapter 19: A Great Destination

It was one of the movies Ella convinced me into watching before the whole fiasco started, last year. I remember seeing it's predecessor, Tangled, a few years back with Charlotte.

Talking about Charlotte, I haven't seen her face-to-face again since the allergy incident, but we video chat and text, courtesy of Miller connecting us again. Never would I have guessed they knew each other, let alone were related. They look nothing alike, their hair being totally different shades of brown. Besides their skin tone being the same pale color, nothing else resembles.

She lives about and hour away by car, but she comes to visit at least once a month because her mom wants to see her sister-in-law. According to Char, they mourn for Miller's father together. I remember her as always a cheery girl, who had an edgy side, but now it looks as though the edgy side has taken over. The honey brown hair that used to be left in waves down her back is now shortened to a pixie cut. 

I tell her about the Ella news and she doesn't seem at all surprised. She was expecting it from her after all. It sucks that she's disappointed that I only now break my friend ship with her. As for my relationship with her cousin, she's fine as long as we don't present in front of her.

"Are we watching Frozen, Caitlin?" Vienna asks in he baby voice, her twin sister trailing behind her.

Giving the two girls a hug, I nod. "Yeah! Olaf for the win!" They grin at me cheekily before mindlessly hopping in the couch while the movie buffers. These two angels give me hope, honestly. Maybe, just maybe there are people in this world better than Ella. I hope they never grow up.

I sit next to Violet, who ends up sitting on my lap and her sister even scoots over so that she can lean her little head on my shoulder. Before, as in before I meant Miller, I always thought that the little ones were nuisances, but I doubt I've meant anyone as awesome as Vienna and Violet. Just last week, Miller and I were babysitting them and they would just try to make us laugh the whole time, and eventually their attempts worked.

We get to the part where Anna has entered her sister's ice palace when mom calls us for dinner, making the three of us groan in unison.

I get over it when I see the table filled to the top with deliciousness.

Sitting my self next to Miller, I reach for the mash potatoes directly in front of me, ready to dig in. My dad's stern voice stops me. "Caitlin, we have to pass the Thanksgiving Chicken, remember?"

Don't worry. He's not talking about a real chicken because that would be weird. Would we all take a bite out of it? That's gross. The Thanksgiving Chicken is a worn out plastic rooster, who happens to wear an apron that says 'Yum! I just adore Thanksgiving!' Literally the stupidest thing I've ever heard about, but anyways we pass it around and say what we are thankful for.

"I'm thankful for my family and my friends," Ella smiles directly at me, "Without you guys, supporting me and making my happy, I would not be the Ella Anderson I am today, so thank you."

Well then, I guess you've got to get new family and friends because this set is clearly not doing a very good job.

The chicken is passed around, answers being practically the same every time. Friends. Family. Food. Shelter. Happiness. Clothing. I'm ready to chuck the chicken out the window by the time Miller finishes his thankful list; family, friends, and an extraordinary girlfriend. Sweet, but way too cliche.

He hands the chicken to me with a warm glint in his eyes. By now, I've decided to go a different path than the normal. "I'm thankful for the bad things that have happened in my life." Everyone gives me questioning stares, probably wondering if I'm okay. "All the broken hearts, the backstabbing, and the traitors were worth it. They were worth it to become a stronger person, which I am now and I greatly recognize it. So, thank you. Thank you to anyone who has ever broken me down because in the end, all that does is build me up."