Blaine would misplace her own ear if that was possible.“Mom, I checked there.”
“By the back door?Or over by the front?”
“Why would you put it—oh.”She sighs.“Bythe back door.Because we leave through the back.”
“Hey, is that Mom?”I hear Clara, even though she’s probably on the other side of the room.She has one of those voices that carries.Maybe it’s an oldest girl thing.“Hand me the phone.”
“No, it’s my phone.You call her.”
I never should have gotten the twins phones.They’re little monsters with them.“Blaine, let me talk to Clara.”Because I’m kneading dough, hanging up and answering another call is going to be super annoying.And messy.
Blaine huffs, but she hands the phone over.
“Mom, why are you still gone?”Clara asks.“I wanted you to look over my persuasive essay.”
“Ah,” I say.“I’m so sorry.I’m sure it will be great—I got stuck here at the big house.Mrs.Murphy and her daughter are both sick, so I’m making Thanksgiving dinner alone.”If it had been high season, we’d have another member of staff or two to help, but with things being so slow, we’ve been struggling along alone.
“You’re kidding.”
“I wish I was.”
Clara tsks.“I have nothing going on at school today.I can?—”
“No,” I say.“You are going to school, and then your dad and I already made arrangements.Since we’re doing Thanksgiving here today for the hotel, you’re doing it at his place this afternoon.Then we’re celebrating it for our family tomorrow, remember?”
“Well, Dad can suck it,” she says.“Because the second I’m done with school, or right now if you’d just be reasonable, I’m coming to help.”
I’m suddenly blinking back tears.“Clara, there’s no way I’m letting you skip school.”
“Why?”she asks.“They don’t have exemptions here, so I have to take exams either way, and I can have ten absences before they get all upset, so just let me miss one day to come help you when you need it.”
“But your father?—”
“Mom, you have got to be kidding right now.Dad won’t care, for one, and for another, if you tell him what happened, he’ll tell me to help himself.I’m sure his plan for Thanksgiving is turkey sandwiches and baked potatoes.”
She’s right about that.Back home, he was always trying to get me to take the kids out to eat on Thanksgiving so we didn’t have to cook.He’s not someone who spends any time in the kitchen, and now that I’m not around, well, I assumed it would be dire over there.“Fine,” I say.“Call your dad.See what he says.”
Five minutes later, Mason calls me.“Hey, Clara called.Why don’t we just combine for Thanksgiving tomorrow,” he says.“Then the kids can lend a hand today.And you know they always manage their school stuff, so if Hannah and Clara help you instead of going today, I think that’s for a good cause.They can learn what it means to run a business.”
Why is Mason being so cool?
“But Cillian’s coming tomorrow,” I say.“Myboyfriend.”
He sighs.“I guess I’ll have to put on my big boy pants and just deal with it.”
“I think you and him both coming to Thanksgiving at the same place is a terrible idea.”
“It probably is,” he agrees.“Nevertheless, desperate times.”
I groan.
“Natalie, I’ve had countless things go wrong in my business over the years, and every single time you were there, bringing me food, cheering quietly, and helping me put out fires.I promise you that I won’t cause trouble at Thanksgiving if you let me join in tomorrow.I want the kids to be able to help you in a way you won’t let me help.Plus, it’ll save the kids the misery of eating the stovetop stuffing that Amazon delivered here last night.”The sound of a shaking box is unmistakable.“Trust me.No one wants this.”
I laugh.“Fine, but best behavior, please.I’m still thinking this is a very bad idea.I really hope I’m not trading a better day today for a bad one tomorrow.”
“I’m reformed, remember?I’ll be good.You’ll see.”
I really don’t believe him, but it’s done.Clara and Hannah show up in the next five minutes, Hannah taking over the rolling out of the rolls, and Clara edging me out on the potato chopping.That frees me up to head for the market for the things I knew I’d forget that Ididin fact forget.Extra butter, because you can never have enough.Scallions, which is what they call green onions here.Yams, and I actually manage to find some pecans, which is a delight to someone who spent most of her life in the American South.I’m even giddier that they have fresh cranberries, and after buying the store out of all six bags, I add my favorite fresh cranberry cake to my list of desserts.
