Thanksgiving Thoughts🍂💕🍁

 

"We can come to your place for Thanksgiving," Hope said to Tori. "if..if it's OK with you guys?" Hope looked to Dylan.

"Sure," he nodded as if that would be great. They didn't stay long at Caitlin and Deano's. It felt as if they were intruding.

"Do you think they're really OK?" Kyle asked as they were heading into the Village Inn that wasn't hopping with people like the other places they passed by. Just some old folks drinking coffee.

"Oh, you know Deano, he can put up a good front," Dylan nodded. They got seated and of course, ordered coffee too. 

"What is it about the name Hannah?" Kyle wanted to know. 

Dylan's smile was open, but he shook his head.

"Oh, just somebody Caitlin used to know," Dylan told him, but finally admitted to his friend that he used to be Hannah. 

Kyle only cleared his throat as if he couldn't think of a thing to say. Dylan knew it startled look. Just one of the reasons he had never mentioned it before. After all, it felt good to meet someone like Kyle who only thought of him as that guy Dylan.

Kyle kept smiling as if he couldn't imagine Dylan ever being female. Finally, he said ever so calmly. "Cool." with a nod. Dylan smiled back. After all, they were good friends.

"They'll be OK, don't you think?" Hope looked to Tori about the Deano and Caitlin situation with the new baby.

"Yeah, sure," Tori said. "It takes a while. The parenting thing. I mean, you don't like people around watching. You know, trying to second guess you."

"I had wanted to drop by sooner, but you know, Cait's mom was here. Her dad's been such a big help," Hope nodded. 

Of course, they had the little ones to tend to who were ready to eat or just play.

"Only," Tori sighed. "It's different for us. We don't have our parents around."

Hope had hoped she wouldn't bring that up. After all, they were going to see Kyle's grandparents at Christmas. Actually, she was kind of dreading it. Unsure of the weather. Only it had been such a mild and dry fall. 

"But everything is good. You are still working from home, aren't you?" Hope asked, thinking they were in touch each day. Yet, maybe some days they weren't. It felt as if the year was a whirlwind of activities these days.

Tori said she worked usually from ten to two each day during the week. "It's good."

Hope looked to Kyle hoping he could ring it all in. "We are getting two turkeys this year through the school." He smiled then. "Yeap, a reward for teaching in the classroom."

"Well, as long as you aren't having to hunt for one," Dylan smiled.

"We are bringing you one of them," Kyle said. "Just so you know, the turkey is on us this year."

When Mario invited Nic to Thanksgiving at his Dad's, Nic instantly said, "Oh, I can't I have to have Thanksgiving at my place." He'd been thinking about Thanksgiving since September. Still, he was waiting on getting the turkey. Actually, he was saving up for one with gift cards he was purchasing at the grocery store. After seeing the price of chicken lately, he didn't know if he could afford such a dinner, but he was doing his best to save up.

"Why not?" Mario sounded hurt.

"Oh, there might be too many people around your dad. I don't want to make him sick," it was a good excuse thought Nic. "We have to think small gatherings." Of course, there was also dinner at Mona's parents which he was a little anxious about, but it wouldn't be until the Saturday after Thanksgiving because her parents were so busy.

"But he'd love for you to come," Mario kept insisting. 

"How about I stop by after dinner," Nic said. He was making dinner right at noon. "I'll stop by for pie. How about that?"

Of course, after all was said and done, Nic knew some of the best Thanksgivings weren't just about eating, but about giving. Although he wasn't serving up any dinners down at the mission this year, he did plan to help with a toy drive for Christmas. Mona liked the idea. So they would be spending some of their weekend helping with the toy drive.