Misty:I hear that.This upstate airport was peaceful compared to Kennedy, but still wild.
He knew exactly what she was talking about, having seen the travel mayhem on the gym’s TVs.
Spencer:Oh MAN.
Misty’s next reply came a few minutes later.
Misty:I hate to think of you spending Thanksgiving alone.
Spencer:I won’t be.I made other plans with some friends.
It came out as easily as when he’d told his sister he was home.For so long, he’d only thought of everyone he saw at the gym on a daily basis as just colleagues.
Spencer:And this means I’ll be in the city when you get back.
Misty:I can’t wait for that.
Misty:If my parents weren’t right down the hall...
Spencer:When you get back, we’ll do everything in person.
As much as he regretted deleting their old texts, it filled him with contentment to watch the screen fill with new texts to reflect this new stage of their relationship.
****
“Oh, my gosh, look atyou!”Misty’s sister was over halfway through the pregnancy and starting to show.Thanksgiving morning was the first time they’d seen each other in months.
“Look atyou!”Natalie countered, squeezing Misty’s enlarged bicep.“What have you been doing at bobsled camp?”
“Running, lifting, the cruelest calisthenics, and lugging a 600-pound sled.”It had been as exhausting as she made it sound, and yet the past few days had felt oddly empty without it.The new family homestead wasn’t too different from Lake Placid in terms of temperature and silence, but last night had been unnervingly lonely without Tish in a neighboring bed or roommates in every extra inch of space.
“All right, we need to get a meal together!”Janice cut into the conversation.“Natalie, you promised us a cranberry apple pie.Lisa, you said you’d bring your grandmother’s sweet potato recipe.And Misty, just because you’re a star athlete doesn’t exempt you from getting the mashed potatoes made.”
Everyone followed her into a kitchen twice the size of the one the Kaufman girls had grown up with in New York.It was refreshing to be able to have everyone in there together, and space for more than one dish to be prepared at the same time.At the same time, the atmosphere reminded Misty of Thanksgivings growing up.
When the meal was on the table, their dad started the tradition of everyone saying what they were thankful for.“I’m thankful to have us all here together.”
“I’m thankful that my girls are doing so well,” their mom said.“Natalie, Lisa, it makes me so happy to see you on the way to starting your own family.And Misty, it never occurred to me to picture anything you’ve accomplished this year.I say that because they simply never occurred to me, not because I doubt your abilities.I am so impressed with and proud of you.Good for you.”
It sounded warmer and more sincere than any time she had deployed the phrase in the past few years.That in itself was something to be grateful for, but Misty didn’t say that.“I’m thankful for all the people in my life who supported me on the way to this.”
As her sister said, she was thankful to have reached a less painful stage of her pregnancy, Misty reflected on the truth of her own statement.Without Tish’s determination that they go to the Games together, her mom’s vague but well-meaning encouragement, and Spencer’s unfailing belief in her, she doubted she would have gotten this far.
Especially Spencer.As good as it was to be with her family, and as good as this dinner looked, she couldn’t wait to get back to New York and see him again.For everything he’d promised last night, and for the sheer joy of being with him.
