"How much longer until everything's ready to go, babe?" Mark walked around our kitchen island, tightening the turkey tie around his neck.
"Almost there. Just a few more finishing touches." I picked up the pumpkin spice and dashed it over the top of the whip cream on the pumpkin pie.
Mark wrapped his arms around my waist and placed his chin into my shoulder. "You still like to do this every year?"
"It makes me feel like my mom's still here." Ever since I can remember, I helped my mom cook Thanksgiving dinner. The year my mom died, my dad hired a chef to cook not just for him but for every holiday. That first Thanksgiving without my mom was the hardest. The next year, Mark asked Mrs. Duncan if I could cook for the students that stayed at the school for Thanksgiving. She was more than happy to let me take full control over the Thanksgiving meal. And this was my fifth year doing it.
Mark kissed my neck gently.
I giggled as I closed the top of the spice. "I'm going to put foil on this. Could you start loading everything in the car for me?"
Mark kissed my lips. "Of course, my love."
~~
As I rounded the corner into the school cafeteria, I heard pots banging and clanking together. The freshman Hailey turned as I walked into the kitchen. "Oh, hi, Ms. Young," she greeted me, holding a large pot in her hand.
"What are you doing?" I asked, frozen in the doorway.
"I was going to try to cook a little meal for everyone. I've never really had a Thanksgiving meal before, but I wanted to try. I didn't want everyone else to miss out this year." She smiled down at her pot.
Pots and pans were strewn about the kitchen. The refrigerator door was open, stock full of everything the students would need for the week.
"I, actually, cooked for you guys."
Her face lit up. "You did?"
I nodded. "I do it every year for the students that stay here for the break."
"Like a full Thanksgiving meal?" Mark pulled my cart of Tupperware into the kitchen as she asked the question. "Oh, wow!"
"You've never had a Thanksgiving meal before?"
She shook her head. "How can I help?"
Mark handed her a few containers, and she helped us set everything up for the students. When we were done, I asked Hailey to get the others so they could eat. "She's the foster kid. When her last family heard she got into this school, they signed her over to the school."
I looked at him. My heart ached. "Mrs. Duncan will be at school on Monday, right?"
He nodded. "Yeah, I'm pretty sure. Why?"
"Just want to ask her for something."