WE GATHER TOGETHER by Edward L. Woodyard

We Gather Together Chapter One Hundred Eleven

Julia McCulloch opened the oven door and smiled. The turkey was almost ready. It'd be a little while longer to get the skin crispy, then it could be taken out of the oven to let its juices settle for a while, which would give her time to make the gravy, bake the rolls and then everyone could eat. Thanksgiving dinner was on schedule.

Sam stood in the doorway of the kitchen, "Is it ready?"

"Soon. Come back in twenty minutes and you can take it out of the oven for me."

"I'll get my jacket."

Julia followed Sam toward the foyer where his blazer was still on the newel post. Alison was playing Ninja Klutz with Jason on the couch in the living room as Cara watched Kelly play with Chelsea while Courtney played with Annie's Malibu Barbie doll. When Courtney left her doll at home, Annie had made her Malibu Barbie an early Christmas present to her niece; it was fine with Annie since Courtney was much more girly-girl than Kelly. Annie knew Courtney would spoil Malibu Barbie; she would be much loved.

In the dining room, Annie was holding Lindsay and showing her all the shiny and pretty objects in the room when Cara offered to take Lindsay from her.

Sam peeked into the den. The football game on TV was almost over and both Jack and Drew were getting bored of it. Ben arose from the couch. "Anyone want a beer?" he asked.

"We're having wine with dinner, Ben," said Julia.

"Then I'll wait. How much longer?"

"Soon." Julia said, looking at her wristwatch. "I wonder why I haven't heard from Emma?"

"Is it still ticking?" Ben asked his mother about her watch as he headed into the foyer.

"Of course. Why shouldn't it?"

Drew nudged Ben up the stairs as they silently shared the joke. Jack followed his two brothers-in-law upstairs. It was time to get ready. Annie and Cara joined the men upstairs to check on their clothes and makeup. Cara handed off Lindsay to Drew as she went into the bathroom off the hallway.

Downstairs, Sam joined his granddaughters to play dolls with them while Julia began placing a relish tray and two kinds of cranberry sauce on the dining room table.

Upstairs in the hallway, Drew noticed Ben exit his room in a camelhair sport coat. "Wasn't that mine?"

"Think so. Did you want to wear it?"

"I brought my own from home, thanks."

"One of these years we're not going to have to wear jackets," Ben declared.

Annie immediately jumped into the conversation, "Are you kidding me? We all know the McCulloch mantra: 'no naked shirtsleeves at the table.' Or did you forget?"

"How could I, Annie? How could any of us? We weren't allowed to forget," answered Ben. "Dad should get with the times."

Annie calmly said, "Ben, it's okay. If it makes Dad comfortable to wear a jacket at the dinner table, so be it. And knowing Dad, it better have a linen handkerchief or a pocket square."

Downstairs, Sam and Julia passed through the foyer and paused to hear the conversation in the upstairs hallway. One thing they knew about their children was none of them hesitated to express an opinion among themselves nor lacked the confidence to defend it. Contrary to others with a similar fortitude, their children would remain cordial and not be blatantly offensive.