The Photograph (Eastbrook 1)

Chapter 4

Rachel awoke to a loud clanging from downstairs; she covered her head with a pillow. When the noise continued, she threw off the pillow and looked at the clock: 9:30 a.m. It was time to get out of bed anyway. She wandered downstairs in her pajamas. 

“’Morning,” Rachel said as she walked into the kitchen. Pots and pans were strewn across the kitchen counters and tables. Rachel turned back for the living room.

“Happy Thanksgiving!” Nana replied. 

“You are missing the parade!” Rachel said. She plopped on the couch to watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on the television. 

“You know they always save the best floats for last,” Nana said.

Rachel heard her stomach rumble. She arose again and braved the kitchen for a bowl of cereal. 

“Are you almost done in there?”

“Almost done? Honey, it’s Thanksgiving,” Nana said.

“Let me try this again. Are you ready for a break?” Rachel asked.

“Sure.” Nana followed Rachel, who returned to the couch with her bowl of cereal.

They watched Snoopy float through the streets of New York City. Rachel had always loved watching the parade, but she’d gradually lost the sense of wonder and awe over the floats. She wondered if that sense of wonder and awe might return if she saw the parade in person. But Nana enjoyed the parade, so Rachel watched it with her every year. 

“When is everyone arriving?” asked Rachel. 

“Kate and Joe will be here at one, and the rest around three.”

Aunt Kate was Papa and Nana’s daughter, and eight years had separated Kate and Rachel’s dad, Robbie, as they were growing up. She now lived in Chicago with her husband, Joe. Even with the age difference between them, Kate and Rachel acted like sisters, not aunt and niece. Kate had been a freshman in high school when Rob died; she felt it was her duty to look after Rachel. 

Two other couples were invited for Thanksgiving dinner. Nana liked hosting Thanksgiving and filling up a big table with food, friends, and family. The Brandts didn’t have family nearby, so they invited friends to round out the table. Kathy and Doug were longtime friends of the Brandts. The second invitation went to a young couple, Tim and Leigh, who had moved into the neighborhood a few months earlier. They didn’t have family nearby either and graciously accepted Nana’s invite. 

Rachel was half asleep on the sofa when she heard a car door slam. She sprang up and arrived at the front door the moment it opened. 

“Happy Thanksgiving,” Kate said, with a smile on her face and a suitcase in her hand. She set down her suitcase and gave Rachel a big hug. 

“It’s good to see you,” Rachel said. Kate’s dark brown hair was layered to her shoulders, making her seem taller than her 5’10” height.  

“Hello, hello,” Joe said, walking in with two more bags. 

“Happy Thanksgiving,” Nana said, walking into the living room wearing her apron. 

“It’s about time you got here,” Papa said, shaking Joe’s hand. The greetings continued for a few minutes before Kate and Joe announced it was naptime. They were exhausted from the long drive that had started at 6 a.m., so they took their bags upstairs and passed out in the guest bedroom for an hour. Nana prepped for dinner in the kitchen. Papa, on the other hand, fell asleep on the couch in the living room while watching football and slept until Kate and Joe’s footsteps on the stairs woke him.