WE GATHER TOGETHER by Edward L. Woodyard

We Gather Together Chapter Eighty

Annie Drexler and Cara McCulloch navigated their shopping carts in the Castlebury Market which was jammed with last-minute shoppers in a food frenzy. Lindsay sat in the child seat staring at her mother and holding onto a box of lasagna noodles, a corner of which she tried to chew.

"I don't know which time is worse in this store. Today, the day before Thanksgiving – or when a snowstorm is on the way?" asked Cara.

"At least there's still some bread and milk left on the shelves now," said Annie.

They pushed their shopping carts toward a fresh vegetable section. Annie was responsible for the candied yams with the marshmallow topping, the glazed carrots and the creamed onions, which Aunt Emma always insisted was "de rigueur" at every Thanksgiving dinner.

Cara gauged the quality of three green peppers. "I can't remember if my mother puts green pepper in her sauce." She took out her cell phone and began texting, "I have to ask my sister."

Cara held onto her cell phone and gave Lindsay a teething ring from her purse, putting the box of lasagna noodles back into the cart.

"Could you imagine Jack doing this, Cara?" said Annie, as she weighed four pounds of yams on a food scale.

"Annie, stop complaining," Cara replied. You've got two wonderful kids, a beautiful home, another kid on the way, and a gorgeous and charming husband who would love you if you'd only let him."

Annie stared sharply at Cara. She pointed to the yams, a plastic bag of fresh carrots, two boxes of frozen pearl onions, a carton of eggs and a half-gallon container of milk in Annie's cart. "Now, have you got everything?" Cara continued.

Annie didn't see Cara indicate her shopping cart; she was lost in thought. "I guess I do."

Cara's cell phone pinged. She reviewed the text and turned to Annie, "No green peppers and Gabriella says Mom refers to it as gravy, not sauce."

"So, what do you call gravy?" asked Annie. "Like what we're having tomorrow with turkey? Tomato gravy versus turkey gravy?"

"The labels on the jars and cans call it sauce," said Cara.

"Leave it at that. Just don't tell your mother."

"She may already know that, Annie," Cara added, the two mothers laughing.

Lindsay was getting anxious in her child seat in the shopping cart. Cara nudged Annie, "We should get out of here before they bring in a cop to direct traffic."

As Annie and Cara approached a checkout line, a man carrying a frozen turkey in a shopping basket came up behind them. He was in his mid-thirties, fit, and wearing a thin insulated jacket. He noticed one of the shoppers. "Annie?"

Annie recognized him immediately and saw what he was carrying. "Brian Gardner, you turkey."

"That's just what Nina called me this morning," he answered, turning to Cara and spying Lindsay in the child seat. "Hi, Cara. Congratulations on the new baby."

"Not so new anymore," she responded. She nodded toward the turkey, "I hope it thaws out in time."

"I hope so too," Brian answered. "I was supposed to get this yesterday." His eyes went back-and-forth between the two women. He was curious and concerned. "How's everything?"

"Fine. Getting ready for Thanksgiving like everyone else," answered Annie.

Brian was bewildered by her statement. He was puzzled and sensed that he was getting no reaction from them, so he asked, "Have you heard anything from Scott?"

Annie had always been light-hearted with Brian. In high school, he had almost been like another brother to her, "Come on, Brian. You know he only communicates with us by pony express."

Brian knew Annie's comment meant that there was still a rift within the McCulloch family. He shifted the basket with the frozen turkey to his other hand and became serious. "When was the last time any of you talked to him?"

"I don't know," said Annie. "I think Mother called him a couple of months ago. You can never get any information out of him. 'Hello.' 'Yes.' 'No.' 'Good-bye.'"

"You know he got married?"

"What?!"

Brian Gardner breathed in deeply. "Then you don't know."

"That he's married. . .?" Annie said, "Who is she?"

Brian shifted again, not knowing what to do with his frozen turkey, saying to himself, "Shit." He had a tough time being able to look at both women, "I shouldn't be saying anything."

Annie and Cara saw how solemn Brian had just become. "Know what?" Annie asked.

Brian had no choice anymore; he had to tell them. He motioned Annie and Cara out of the checkout line toward a display case by a front window.

Both women knew Brian had something urgent he wanted to tell them but that it might take some time. Annie opened the child seat in her shopping cart and placed Brian's basket with the frozen turkey on it.

"Thanks," Brian said, then he breathed in deeply again. "I swore I wouldn't. . ."

"Tell us, please, Brian," pleaded Annie. "You won't betray a trust."