Owen's phone rang. He frowned slightly before setting his cup of tea down and picked up the phone. ERICA LEE was emblazoned across the screen.
It wasn't a call to be ignored, there might be something really important that needed to be taken care of or something that needed his attention. "Erica."
"Owen Blackbourne, you are coming to dinner tomorrow. All of you are going to be here." She said in a rush.
"I don't want to intrude." He said. "That's your family time."
Silence rang loudly through the phone. If he closed his eyes, he could just imagine her glaring at him.
"Owen. Blackbourne. You should be ashamed of yourself for saying that." Her tone turned cool and even. "How many times do I have to tell you that you're family? You've been family since I met you when you were 13."
"I just meant that we're busy with our community service time tomorrow morning and then we have our Academy duties. It's just always seemed like a given that the boys all go to their own homes and Sean goes to work. I just go home." He realized how lame the whole thing sounded when he said it out loud.
"Your arguments are invalid this year." She said. "Jasmine made George take her on a cruise so Victor will be here. Pam's spending the entire weekend at the casino, despite my best efforts to talk her out of it so Gabriel will be here too. Nathan's always here. Ben's going to bring the pies so the Taylor clan will be here and Charlie has headed to Greece for a few weeks to check in on Theo. So therefore, Silas goes where the Taylors are so that means here."
"Well, Sean will still be working..."
"He's worked enough Thanksgivings that they gave him the weekend off. So, Mr. Blackbourne, why don't you just give in and admit that family time around here means all of us?"
"You make a very good point." He finally said. Really, she did. He had no idea why he kept avoiding her and the evening Thanksgiving dinner that would take place as it did every year.
"So you'll be here? Jessica would really like it if all her brothers were here for dinner." She said softly, going in for the guilt trip kill shot.
Jessica.
His baby sister, if you will. He did regret that since Sang had joined their family it seemed that he'd had less time for Jessica than ever.
"Yes, I'll be there. We'll all be there." He said, giving in to her wishes. "I apologize for seeming to forget the fact that I am not as alone as I'd like to make myself be."
She chuckled softly. "That's right, young man. Listen to your mama." She hesitated.
"Was there something else?"
"I know that your community service event is those dinners that Ben runs out to all of you through the diner." She said.
"That's right. It worked out very well last year." He agreed.
"I was thinking and I'm willing to donate for it or whatever needs to happen..." She hesitated again. "But I think... no, I know... they need a dinner at Sang's old house. I never see her mom and her sister just looks defeated whenever I do see her taking out the garbage. She's lost a lot of weight. I don't think they have much grocery money."
"I see." He could definitely see an issue there and it was what he'd suspected for most of the year. After they'd secured Sang's escape from that house and family, they'd left them alone and her dad had been long gone by now. "We'll take care of it."
"Maybe though, have someone else deliver it? Or drop it off because I suspect if it's any of you or Sang, they won't take it. I tried to invite at least Marie over for dinner but she declined and I don't really think it was just because her mother isn't feeling well." Erica said.
"Good to know. We'll discuss things as a family tomorrow morning and go from there. Thank you for mentioning it." He said.
"You're welcome. Just let me know if there's anything I can do to help with it." She said. "And I'll expect all of you by 5 tomorrow night." She said with a slight laugh.
"We'll be there." He said, taking his own hesitation. "Mom."
"Oh, Owen..." she said softly before they said good night and she hung up the phone.
He picked up his cup of tea again and sipped it, thoughtfully before sighing and setting down the now cold tea. He felt warm though, his conversation with Erica doing more to warm him than a hot drink ever could.
He had a family. And it wasn't just the one he'd created for himself with the guys.
He had a mother. Erica was everything he could have hoped for in a mother and everything he'd needed since he was 13. Of course he missed his mother still but somehow, he just knew she'd approve of Erica.
He had a baby sister. Jessica was such a special person, he had never known that he'd wanted a baby sister until he met her.
Tomorrow would be a good day.
He had a lot to be thankful for.
(fade...)