Prompt: Thankful.
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“So how are we going to do it,” Eric said, clapping his hands and rubbing them together in anticipation for the feast laid out before him. “Should we just go round the table or what?”
“Yeah,” Stacy squeaked, “but we need to start with Grandma!”
“Yes,” little Sarah said. “Grandma is the oldest.”
“Shh,” Stacy said, “don’t call Grandma old!”
“She is old!”
“Quiet you lot!” Grandma said pushing her chair back and groaning to her feet with a raised glass of red wine. “Here’s the deal. We’re going to do it right this year-” hic “-Everyone in turn! I will start, because as the jewel of my soul, and highlight of my life, so poetically put: I am the oldest.”
“Hurray!” the table cheered. There were several family members at the Jesope’s Thanksgiving table that year, some immediate family, some distant, and some people that no one seemed to know. “Go Grandma!” They called.
“Alright, alright,” Grandma said, waving her hand. “Settle down. This stuffing looks fabulous and I will not be kept from it for long.” The table chuckled. “So. I, uh, am thankful for my family. Ron, Nitsy, my son and daughter-in-law, are here for the first time in six years.”
“Hurray!”
“Ron, good to have you home bro!” Eric said. The table pulsed with chatter.
“Alright, alright,” Grandma said. “I’m thankful that I’m seventy-three years on this earth and still keeping it together.”
Everyone laughed.
“I’m thankful that my daughter-in-law is here-”
“Oh come on Granny!” Stacy said.
“Hah ha!” Eric said.
“Are you lot going to let me finish?”
“Go on!”
“We would be so thankful if you did,” Ron said. But Ron wasn’t smiling.
“Alright,” Grandma said. She grasped at a silver fork from the table and clanked it against her glass, spilling bright red drops on the perfect white linen tablecloth. “I am thankful for my husband-”
“Dad’s dead mom,” Ron snapped. “Come on.”
“Well, I’m still thankful. He was an old butt.”
“Mom!”
“Ron,” his wife said, “it’s okay.”
“Mom, how much wine have you had?”
The table was suddenly very quite. Everyone tried to pretend they were mesmerized by the steaming turkey, pillowy mashed potatoes, and thick gravy, but everyone was just as intent on this year’s grace as any before.
“Oh shut up with that,” Grandma said.
“Here we go,” Eric said with a small grin.
“Hey now,” I said. “let’s finish this up and eat alright?”
“Yes,” Ron said.
“Fine.” Grandma said. And everyone started eating.
