WE GATHER TOGETHER by Edward L. Woodyard

We Gather Together Chapter One Hundred Nine

Jack Drexler stood up in the den first; it was half-time and the football game on TV wasn't producing any excitement. Jack and Ben got off the couch while Sam pushed himself off of an upholstered chair and grabbed his digital camera. Drew cautiously pulled himself out of a club chair while holding a sleeping Lindsay.

Jack wanted a second glass of mulled cider from the punch bowl on the butler's cabinet; the smell of the mulled cider in the den was almost better than its taste. While Jack used a glass ladle to pour it into his punch cup, he watched Ben, Sam and Drew leave the room. Jack awkwardly sipped the mulled cider from the punch cup, his large fingers pinching the cup's small handle as he lifted it to his mouth, afraid of spilling it.

In the kitchen, Alison helped Julia set the desserts aside on an end of the kitchen table while Cara and Annie put four baking dishes on a lower rack in the oven, below the turkey.

"How's the bird?" asked Julia.

"Very happy," answered Annie. "So, Alison, are you liking college?"

"Very much."

"You like your classes?" asked Cara.

"So far."

"And you and Ben?" wondered Annie.

"We don't have any classes together this semester," Alison said, attempting to avert the inevitable curiosity concerning her and Ben's relationship about which Ben had warned her.

Just then, Ben headed toward the kitchen to see if his beer was cold yet in the ice maker while Sam tended the fire in the living room, adding another log to it. Drew followed Ben into the kitchen to hand a sleeping Lindsay to Cara and then looked for the three older kids.

"So, are you two serious?" Annie continued to inquire of Alison about Ben.

"No, we're students," interrupted Ben. "Mom, have you heard from Aunt Emma?"

"She'll let us know. I don't think we should hold dinner, though," said Julia.

Ben checked his wristwatch, "I don't know, Mom." Cara, Drew and Annie laughed.

Julia seemed perplexed, "What's so funny about Ben wondering what time it is?"

Ben retrieved a bottle of O Hoppy Day from the reserve refrigerator, opened it with a bottle opener magnetized to the refrigerator door, and offered it to Alison; however, she held up a glass of white wine and smiled. He tilted his head for her to follow him. "Let me show you my room."

Once Ben and Alison passed through the living room toward the staircase, Julia nodded to Cara and Annie. "I like her very much."

The other two women agreed as Julia grabbed a box of crackers from a cabinet and went into the living room to check crudité and cheese platters on the coffee table.

"Remember first love?" asked Cara. "There's nothing like it in the world."

"Who was yours?" responded Annie.

"It was really Drew, but there was this one guy in high school. What about yours?"

"Promise me you won't gag?" Annie pleaded. Cara nodded as Annie revealed, "Jack Drexler. I married the first boy I ever kissed. God, that's so, so, so. . . unsophisticated."

"To the contrary, Annie. That's wonderful. You looked no further. 'One and done.'"

Annie saw Jack stand in front of the fire and moved toward him, throwing her arms around his waist and hugging him tightly. Julia smiled and returned to the kitchen with the box of crackers.