24. Chapter 17 (1/2)

-chapter seventeen-

a/n—thanksgiving's here. it's the day before and the kids are getting out of school.

it's the day before thanksgiving and the kids are getting out of school for

eak. the kids are coming through the door.

cindy: ah, a long weekend!

bobby: finally!

alice: hi kids, how was your day?

cindy: after lunch, it was better.

alice: why is that?

cindy: we get out in the afternoon.

mike walks into the kitchen.

mike: hi kids!

bobby: hi dad.

cindy: how's mom?

mike: she's resting right now.

cindy: any false alarms?

mike: no. sometimes when a woman approaches her due date, she slows down a lot to conserve energy for the birth.

bobby: i thought mom's date wasn't for another couple weeks or so.

alice: babies have their own timetables.

mike: got any homework?

cindy: finished mine at school.

bobby: i just have a creative writing assignment in english. right now, i've got writer's block. i thought i'd work on it later.

alice: is it on any certain topic?

bobby: no, it can be on anything i want it to be.

mike: i've got an idea, bob.

bobby: what?

mike: how 'bout writing a paper on having writer's block?

bobby: what do you mean?

mike: they sit at the table. cindy goes on. well, when i was your age, i had a creative writing assignment. i didn't have a topic in mind, so i wrote about my thoughts on having a creative writing assignment and how hard it is to find a topic.

bobby: mildly annoyed. gee dad, that sounds corny.

mike: no, listen. you said you have writer's block.

bobby: yeah?

mike: and you just said it was hard to find a topic for the assignment because you have writer's block.

bobby: doubtful. and?

mike: well, there you go. there's you a topic. you could write about what it's like to have writer's block.

bobby: still skeptical. well, i'll try it. it might be an interesting paper.

mike: that's the spirit. now, get going.

bobby goes to work on his paper.

cindy knocks on the door of her parents' room.

cindy: mom?

carol: come in.

cindy opens the door. her mother is lying on her side, facing the door, with her arms around a pillow. she tries to sit up when she sees her daughter.

carol: hi, cindy. how was your day?

cindy: good. i'm glad i've got a long weekend.

carol: did you need something?

cindy: no, i just wanted to come in and see you. is that okay?

carol: sure. pats the bed.

cindy comes over and sits on the bed.

carol: can you help me up? that way we can talk

cindy: sure. she helps her mother sit up and arranges the pillows for her.

carol: now, what's on your mind.

cindy: nothing, really.

carol: how's your studying for the spelling bee going?

cindy: okay, i guess. the word list is hard.

carol: would you like me to quiz you?

cindy: maybe in a minute. tries to hide what she's thinking.

carol: notices her daughter's preoccupied. honey, what is it? you can tell me.

cindy: looks at her mother's abdomen and then back up. well, the baby's coming soon and i just realized something, that's all.

carol: what? looks at her with concern and then it dawns on her. you're not gonna be the youngest anymore. is that it?

cindy: yeah. i suppose. feeling a bit guilty.

carol: hey, it's okay to feel a bit weird about it.

cindy: really?

carol: smooths her daughter's hair from her eyes. yeah. you've been the baby for twelve years. you were still the youngest when i married mike. places cindy's hand over the baby. now there's gonna be a new baby and you won't be the youngest anymore. it's a big change.

cindy: yeah.

carol: how do you feel about it?

cindy: shrugs her shoulders. i dunno. i haven't given it much thought until now.

carol: and now?

cindy: i've been the baby since you and daddy were still together. then, he left and then got in that car wreck.

both women are crying.

cindy: and it was just the four of us—you, marcia, jan, and me. i got used to it, but i missed daddy. then, you met and married mike, i mean, dad, and then there were eight of us. i was still the youngest. i missed daddy, but having dad around helps.

carol: i know you miss your dad. i know you and your sisters loved him very much. me too. i still miss your dad. i wish we'd talked about it more when you three were little.

cindy: uh, huh. feeling self-conscious. this doesn't make any sense. i guess i'm just feeling the change big time, like i did when you told us you and mike were getting married and that he wanted to adopt us and you wanted to adopt the boys.

carol: realizing what she's saying. oh, cindy. i'd forgotten how hard that was on you. it also didn't dawn on me that having a new baby might be hard on you.

cindy: i'm happy about the baby. i really am. i'll get used to having this little guy around. just give me some time.

carol: i wish we'd gone out, just the two of us, but after the baby's born, i want the two of us to go out one day and have a girls' day out, without your sisters.

cindy: just you and me? she smiles.

carol: sure. cradles her daughter. i love you.

cindy: i love you too, mom.

the next day is thanksgiving. alice is cooking the turkey. marcia is making the chocolate mousse cake. jan and cindy are cleaning the house and the boys are finishing up yard work. carol walks into the kitchen.

carol: how's everything going?

marcia: fine. i've got the cake almost made. then, i'll start on the sweet potato casserole.

alice: turkey's in the oven. i'm about to start on the dressing.

carol: oh, i'll do it.

alice: shouldn't you be lying down?

carol: i'm tired of lying down. plus, my back is killing me. and i've always fixed thanksgiving dinner for my family. i'm not gonna stop now.

alice: well, we've got most of it going, but we've got the casseroles to make.

carol: okay, i'll start on the sweet potato casserole.

she begins making the casserole and mike passes through.

mike: shouldn't you be lying down?

carol: a bit annoyed. i'm fine.

mike: still, shouldn't you at least be sitting down?

carol: i've been sitting or lying down for a few weeks. i'm tired of it. right now, it feels better to stand. mike starts to speak. and before you say anything else, no i won't over do it.

mike: okay. kisses her forehead. i'll give the girls a hand with the cleaning.

later that day, the family begins arriving. mr. and mrs.

ady arrive first. bobby answers the door.

bobby: grandma, grandpa!

mr.

ady: hiya, bobby! how are ya? he wraps his grandson in a big bear hug.

bobby: i'm fine.

mrs.

ady: hey bobby!

bobby: hi grandma. he gives his grandma a hug.

mrs.

ady: where are the other kids?

jan and cindy enter the living room.

mr.

ady: hiya jan! hiya marcia! how are the two prettiest members of westdale high's homecoming court? he envelops them in a bear hug.

jan: we're fine, grandpa.

mrs.

ady: how's your mother?

marcia: she's doing all right. she's had a few false alarms here and there.

mrs.

ady: where is she?

marcia: she and cindy are in the kitchen making the tossed salad.

mike enters the living room from his den to greet his parents.

mike: mom, dad. he gives them both a hug.